CHAP. LXIX. ERICA‘CEE. RHODODE’NDRON. 1131 
§ i. Ponticum D. Don. 
Sect. Char. Wimb of calyx short, 5-lobed. Corolla campanulate. Sta- 
mens 10. Ovarium 5-celled. Leaves coriaceous, evergreen. (Don’s 
Miil., iii. p. 843.) 
# 1.2. po/nticum L. The Pontic Rhododendron, or Rose Bay. 
Identification. Lin. Sp., 562. ; Don’s Mill., 3. p. 843. ; Lodd. Cat., ed. 1836.. 
Engravings. Pall. Fl. Ross., 1. p. 43. t. 29. ; Jacq. Icon. Rar., 1. t. 78. ; Lam. Il, t. 364. ; Bot. Mag., 
t. 650. ; and our fig. 931. 
Spec. Char., §c. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, glabrous on 
both surfaces, attenuated towards the thick petioles, 
with a streak on the upper surface, of a wide lanceolate 
form. Racemes short, corymbose. Leaves sometimes 
becoming ferruginous beneath, Corolla purple, or pur- 
plish pink, large; with ovate, acute, or lanceolate 
segments. Calyx minute, 5-toothed, somewhat cartila- * 
ginous. (Don’s Mill., iii. p. 843.) An evergreen shrub; { 
a native of Pontus (now Armenia), in Asia Minor, 
where it grows to the height of 10 ft. or 12 ft.; flower- 
ing in May and June. It was introduced in 1763, and 
is frequent in British gardens. 

Varieties. 
# R. p. 2 obtusum Wats. Dend. Brit., t. 162., Don’s Mill., ili. p. $43., 
has the leaves subcordate, coriaceous, obtuse, and the calyx very 
short, and unequally and undulately crenated. It grows from 3 ft. to 
4 ft. high, and has purple flowers. Found wild in Armenia. 
a R. p. 3 myrtifolium Lodd. Bot. Cab., t. 908., Don’s Mill., iii. p. 843., 
has the leaves small, and the flowers purple. It is a native of 
Gibraltar. 
a RK. p. 4 Smithii Swt. Brit. Fl.-Gard., n.s., t.50., Don’s Mill. iii, p.843., 
has the leaves lanceolate, and clothed with white tomentum beneath ; 
corymbs many-flowered; ovarium tomentose, and 10-celled. The 
flowers are of a rosy purple, approaching to crimson, elegantly spotted 
with black. A hybrid, raised by Mr. Smith, at Coombe Wood, from 
the seed of R. pénticum, impregnated by the pollen of 2. arboreum: 
# R. p. 5 Lowii Gard. Mag., vol. xi. p. 190. Corolla white; the upper 
segments marked by a few dull scarlet spots. This is a most striking 
variety, originated by M. Jacob Makoy. It is named after Mr. 
Low of Clapton. 
& # R. p. 6 azaleoides; R.azaledides Desf.; R. p. 8 subdeciduum Andr. 
Bot. Rep., t. 379., Hayn. Abbild., t. 15.; is a hybrid between R. pén- 
ticum and some species of Azalea, with fragrant blossoms. It was 
originated about 1820, and is a favourite in collections. There is a 
subvariety, R.p. a. 2 odordtum Lodd. Cat., in which the flowers are 
supposed to be more odoriferous than in R. p. azaledides. 
Nursery Varieties. The following are cultivated by Messrs. Loddiges. 
(Catalogue of Plants, §c., at Hackney, 16th ed., 1836.) 
R. p, album. R. p. fl. pléno. AR, p. macrophyllum. 
angustifolium. fol. argénteis. nivaticum. 
angustissimum. fol. atreis. obtisum. 
arbutifdlium, fol. marginatis. ovatum. 
bromeliefolium fronddsum. pygm2‘um. 
bullatum. grandifldrum. 7vodseum. 
cassinef dlium, incarnatum, salicifdlium, 
ceruléscens, intermédium. spectabile. 
contértum. kalmzefolium. violaceum, 
crispum, 
Description. The Rhododéndron pénticum is the commonest species of 
the genus in British gardens, where it grows to the height of from 5 ft. to 
15 ft., or upwards; forming a dense bush, which will spread over a large 
