104 CLIMATE AND VEGETATION OF 



does, an epiphyte, upon ihe trunks of trees in tlie gloomy and 

 impenetrable forests, it is ditficalt to find. 



III. Species of the Upper or Arctic Zone, from 14,000 to 18,000 

 feet, answering to the Arctic latitudes beyond the wooded 

 regions, the islands of the Polar Seas, Iceland, Spitzbergen, &c, 



25. R. lepidotian. — Distribution and range : Rochij moun- 

 tains and vcdleys in Nepal, Sikhim, and Bliotan. — 8000 

 to 16,000 feet. R. lepidotum elceagnoides, obovatum, 

 and salignum, of the ' Sikkim Riiododendrons.' 



This curious and very variable species abounds at 14,000 to 

 15,000 feet, but also extends as low as 8000 feet in moist val- 

 leys. It forms a slender or stout twiggy shrub, 1 to 4 feet high, 

 branching from a stout tortuous stock ; the branches as thick as a 

 crow-quill, rather scattered, bearing tufts of branchlets at the 

 top. It often grows in widely-extended clumps, much as heather 

 does, but never so extensively ; and emits, in sunshine, a power- 

 ful resinous odour. Leaves of a pale glaucous green, lighter 

 underneath, and sometimes ferruginous where the scales abound ; 

 ^ to 1^ inch long. Flower-stalks more or less elongated, 1^ to 

 2 inches long, slender. Corolla yellow or dirty purple, h an inch 

 across the lobes ; scalj'', especially on the outside of the tube ; 

 tlie upper lobes are spotted with green.' — The odour of this plant 

 is strongly resinous, and rather sweetish and pleasant. Its com- 

 mon name is " Tsaluma," or " Tsuma," amongst the Bhoteas. 

 The description in De Candolle (Prodr., vol. vii., p. 724), if, as 

 I do not doubt, it refers to this plant, is very erroneous. The 

 leaves camiot be called " ferruginous below," in the same sense 

 as applied to R. anthopogon, &c., nor are there any bristles or 

 hairs at the bases of the leaves ; nor have I observed more than 8 

 stamens, the typical number in this very distinct group. 



26. R. anthopogon. — Distribution and range : Keniaon, 

 Nepal, and /SiA/^m— 12,000 to 16,000 feet— abundant, 

 especially in the drier climates. 



This interesting species has been figured from plants intro- 

 duced by Dr. Wallich, which flowered in England. It is a 

 strongly and far more disagreeably scented plant than R. se- 

 tosiuyi. This, the Palu of the Bhoteas, shares with the Tsallu 

 (R. setosum) the blame of exciting the dreaded headache and 

 nausea attending ascents to the elevations of the Eastern Hima- 

 laya. In the Herbarium its permanent odour is more disagree- 

 able than that of any of the genus. Its flow^ers are extremely 

 beautiful, botli from the membranaceous, translucent texture of 



