bo 
7. 
RHODODENDRON FULGENS, Jos. wv. 
Brilliant Rhododendron. 
Tas. XXV. 
Frutex densissime ramosus, foliosus, ramis cortice papyraceo tectis, ramulis pedunculis petiolis ovariis foliisque superne glaberrimis, foliis 
petiolatis late obovato- v. ovato-cllipticis apice rotundatis basi cordatis margine recurvo subtus tomento floccoso ferrugineo dense 
vestitis, capitulis densifloris, pedicellis brevibus, calyce obsoleto v. brevissimo disciformi lobato, corolla intense sanguinea campanulata, 
tubo subcompresso, limbi lobis 5 rotundatis breviusculis recurvis, staminibus 10, filamentis glabris, ovario conico basi turgido apice 
truncato 8-loculari 8-sulcato, capsulis oblongo-cylindraceis obtusis gibbosis glaucis purpureis. 
Has. Sikkim-Himalaya ; mountain slopes and spurs, elev. 12-14,000 feet; abundant. #7. June; /r. November and December. 
This, the richest ornament of the alpine region in the month of June, forms a very prevalent shrub at the clevations 
assigned to it, not yielding in abundance to its constant associates, 2. @ruginosum and R. Maddeni, and, like the former, 
pushing forth young leaves of a beautiful verdigris-green in July and August. The foliage is perennial, and gives 
a singular hue to the bleak snowy mountain-faces immediately overhung by the perpetual snow, contrasting in August in 
broad masses or broken clumps with the bright scarlet of the Berberry, the golden yellow of the fading Birch and Mountain 
Ash, the lurid heavy green of the perennial Juniper, and the bleak raw brown of the withered herbage. Whether, then, for 
the glorious effulgence in spring of its deep scarlet blossoms, which appear to glow like fire in the short hour of morning 
sunlight, or the singular tint it at other seasons wears, this is among the most striking of the plants which lend to these 
inhospitable regions the varied hues which are denied to the comparatively habitable but gloomy forests of the tem- 
perate zone on the same mountains. 
Individual shrubs are generally of a rounded outline, about four feet high, and twice as much in diameter, and 
when growing together they compose an impenetrable thicket, as annoying to the traveller as 2. MHodgsoni is at lower 
elevations. The ramuli are bright green, the thickness of a little finger. Zeaves four inches long and three broad, pretty 
constant in form, and always coriaceous in texture, with a glossy upper surface, and dense woolly clothing underneath, 
which wholly obliterates the venation. Corolla of a deep, bright blood-red, somewhat fleshy in texture, highly polished and 
shining. Azthers dark brown; filaments pink. Style vather short, curved, ending in a truncate stigma, not materially 
enlarged. The capsules are one to two inches long, very stout, of a fine plum-purple colour, and covered with a glaucous 
bloom. 
There is no pubescence, glands, or squame, on any part of the plant, except on the inner bracteal scales, which are 
silky, and on the very young foliage, which has often a little villous pubescence : the latter, which is wholly scentless, is not 
to be distinguished from that of 2. eruginosum. 
Tas. XXV. Rhododendron fulgens. Fig. 1. Flower. 2. Stamen. 8. Peduncle, calyx, and ovarium. 4. Transverse section of ovarium. 
5. Fruit :—adl but figures | and 5 magnified. 
