26. 
RHODODENDRON CILIATUM, dios. ju. 
Ciliated Rhododendron. 
Tas. XXIV. 
Fruticulus rigidus, erectus, caulibus plurimis validis, ramulis pedunculis pedicelli que hispido-pilosis, foliis cllipticis acuminatis coriaceis super 
marginibus ciliato-pilosis senioribus glabratis subtus (costa excepta) glaberrimis pallidis creberrime ferrugineo-punctatis, pedicellis 
validis subconfertis (2-5), calyce basi hispido, lobis late ovatis obtusis coriaceis, corolla campanulata pallide purpurea, staminibus 
10, filamentis basi pilosis, stylo gracili, capsula brevi crassa calyce duplo longiore 5-loculari infra apicem contracta. 
Has. Sikkim-Himalaya, inner ranges only, in wet rocky places, rarely in woods. Lachen and Lachoong valleys; elev. 9-10,000 fect. 
Fl. May ; fr. October. 
A small very rigid shrub, growing in clumps two fect high, generally in moist rocky places. Odour faintly resinous 
and pleasant. Whole plant more or less pilose and sctose, the hairs long and fulvous on the young leaves; petioles and 
pedicels patent. Leaves two, rarely three inches long, sometimes obscurely cordate at the base. Upper surface (except in 
age) pilose, even villous\when young, underneath quite glabrous, covered with minute orbicular ferruginous scales. Bracteas 
rather membranous, ciliated. Capitula three- to five-flowered, terminal ; pedicels very stout, one inch long ; flowers inclined. 
Sepals nearly equal, membranous, veined, ciliated. Corol/a one inch and a half long, nearly as much across at the mouth ; 
tube rather contracted below, lid five-lobed, colour pale reddish-purple, upper lobe obscurely spotted. Anthers large. 
Stigma exserted, capitate. Capsule woody, one-third to one-half of an inch long, suddenly contracted below the apex, each 
of the five valves there recurved or beaked, the back covered with minute scales. Seeds pale-coloured. 
Allied to R. darbatum, but widely different in stature, habit, and the scattered scales on the under surface of the leaves. 
I have not observed it in other valleys than those flanked by snowy mountains, where it is common, scenting the air in 
warm weather. 
The scales (as in many of its congeners) are orbicular, sessile, and peltately attached, formed of three concentric series 
of cells, the outer elongated in the direction of the radius. A dark concentric line marks the union of the circumferential 
series of cells with those next to it. The fragrant oil is secreted chiefly in the discoid cell. 
Tas. XXIV. Rhododendron ciliatum. Fig. 1. Stamen. 2. Peduncle, calyx, and pistil. 3. Transverse section of ovarium. 4. Fruit. 5. Under 
surface of portion of leaf. 6. Scales from the same :—magnified. 
