296 



The Dictionary of Gardening, 



Rhododendron — continued. 



I. atteimated at base, scarcely glabrescent beneath. Garden 

 hybriii. (B. M. 3454.) R. m. bigeiier (B. R. 195) is almost 

 identiriil with tliis. 



R, Metternlchii (Mettevnich's)." Jl. rose-coloured, sub-campanu- 

 late, disposed in corymbose heads. Spring. I. oblong orobovate- 

 oblong, coriaceous, ferrugiiious-toraentose beneath. Japan, 1870. 

 Hardy shrub. (S. Z. F. J. 9.) 



R. nllagericum (Neilgherries). Jl. pink, in a laige, terminal, 

 capitate rareme ; calyx small, very shortly tive-lobed ; corolla 

 cauipanulate. the segments undulated, rounded, and bilolied. 

 May. l. elliptic nr olilnn;;. sub-nl)tuse, acute, reticulately veinerl, 

 the margins n'Vtdiitf, almve ojuuiuf, lieneatli densely clothed with 

 loose, ferruginous tnineutum. //. 25ft. Nei]i;herries, 1840. Tree. 

 A variety of J:, arbureimi. (H. M. 4581; K. d. S. 1030-1.) 



R, niveum (snnwy-leaved). ./?. rather numerous, moderately large, 

 on short, tomentose peduncles ; calyx very small ; corolla exter- 

 nally yellowish-lilac, internally pale lilac, blotched with deeper 

 lilac, and at the inner base having five deep blood-purple spots, 

 broadly cauipanulate, narrow at base ; limb five-lobed, retuse and 

 slightly waved ; stamens ten, included. May. l. moderately 

 large, spreading, opaque on both sides, obovatedanceolate, taper- 

 ing below into a short footstalk ; young leaves white-tomentose 

 all over, afterwards glabrous above, clothed beneath with 

 white, appressed, fiocculent tomentum. Sikkim, 1850. Shrub. 

 (B. M. 4730.) 



R. n. ftllvum (tawnjr). fi. of a deeper purple colour, and with 

 larger trusses, than in the type. I., under-surface buff-coloured. 

 Sikkim, 1885. A handsome plant. (B. M. 6827.) 



R. Nuttallii (Nuttall's).* /. white, scarcely rosy, fragrant, in 

 corymbs of four to six ; calyx lobes large, rather thick, oblong- 

 oval, obtuse ; corolla sub-campanulate, 4^in. to 5in. long, five- 

 lobed ; stamens ten. May. I, large, coriaceous, oval, obtuse at 

 lioth ends, ai)iculate, below closely reticulated with dark scales. 

 h. 12ft. to 30ft. Bhotan, 1859. Shrub or tree. In a wild state, 

 this frequently occurs as an epiphyte on the branches of large 

 trees. (B. M. 5146.) 



R. parvifollum (small-leaved), fl. pale rose, in small, compact, 

 terminal umbels ; calyx small, five-toothed ; tube half as long as 

 the flve-lobed, sub-campanulate limb. Spring. I. ^in. to lin. 

 long, oblong, acute, attenuated at base, scaly on both sides, green 

 above, rusty beneath. Baiacul, 1877. An erect, flexuously- 

 branched, hiirdy species. (R. (.;. 902.) 



R, pendulum (penduhpvis). fl. small ; calyx large in proportion, 

 deeply cut into five lobes; c<nolhi pure "white, about lin. in 

 diameter, externally lepidote ; tube very sh<»rt, gTadually expand- 

 ing into a five-lobed lindi ; stamens ten. Sprmg. I. chiefly at 

 the tips of the ultimate branches, on short petioles, spreading, 

 between elliptic and oblong, acute, mucronate, Uin. to 2in. long, 

 about %\n. broad, the margins recurved, beneath densely ferru- 

 ginous-tomentose. Stems 3ft. to 4ft. long. Sikkim. An epiphyte 

 on trees. (F. d. 8. 662 ; G. C. n. s., xvii. 429 ; R. 8. H. xiii.) 



\m^wH '€/w 



Fig. 368. Flowering Biunchlet ok Rhododendron ponticum. 



R, ponticum (Pontic). JJ.. purple, often spotted on the upper lobe, 

 about 2in. in diameter, disposed in short, terminal corymbs ; calyx 

 lobes sub-acute, very short ; corolla campanulate-rotate, the 

 lobes sometimes lanceolate and acute, sometimes obtuse. May. 

 I. oblong-lanceolate, attenuated at both ends, glabrous, pale or 



Rhododendron — continued. 



slightly ferruginous beneath, h. 6ft. to 12ft. Asia Minor, 1763, 

 Ilarrly. See Fig. 368. (B. M. 650.) Of this species, there are 

 several varieties ; the following call for mention : 

 R. p. azaleoldes (Azalea-Iike). /L, corolla lobes much undulated, 

 uu.spottt'd. /. lanceolate, .sub-deciduous. Hybrid. (A. B. R. 379, 

 under name of A', /i. deciiitium.) 



R. p. myrtlfolium (Myrtle-leaved), yf. purplish, unspotted ; 

 corolla scarcely lin. in diameter. I. smaller than in the type, 

 being about 2in. long. (L. B. C. 908, under name of /;. myrti- 

 folium.) 



R. punctatum (ilotted). fi. in rlense corymbs ; calyx lobes small, 

 roundeil, sometimes minute ; corolla rose-colour, spotted within, 

 somewhat fnnnelshai)ed, longer than tlie pedicels. May and 

 .Tune. I. elliptic, 2iu. to 3in. long, acute at each end (sometimes 

 lin. to liin. long, oval or ohov.'ite and obtuse), glabrous ; under 

 surface, as well as the corymbs, thickly dotted with resinou.s 

 gloltules. //. 4ft. to 6ft. North America, 1786. (A. B. R. 36 ; 

 W. D. B. 162a, under name of U. p. minus.) 



R, p. majUS (larger). /., corolla unspotted, larger than in the 

 type, /. also larger. (B. R. 37.) 



R. retU9Uin(l>Iunt-leaved). fi. somewhat drooping, six to nine 

 in un umbel, on red, hairy peduncles about ^in. long; calyx 

 minute, yellow-green, five-toothed ; corolla bright scarlet without, 

 yellowish inside the tube, IJin. to l^in. long, tubular-infundibuli- 

 form, the base ventricose, the limb moderately spreading ; stamens 

 ten, a little exserted. May. I. 2in. to 2iin. long, almost sessile, 

 oblong or elliptic-oltovate, evergreen, coriaceous, spreading, 

 glabrous, the margins recurved, the apex very obtuse, or often 

 retuse ; old ones slightly ferruginous lieneath. Branches woody, 

 brown in age. h. 1ft. to 2ft. Java, 1853. Stove. (B. M. 4859 : 

 F. d. S. 1044; I. H. 70.) 



R. Rollisoni (RoUison's). fi. in a round and compact head like 

 that of li. arhoreum, but the colour is much richer, being a deep 

 blood-red, with a few dark spots at the bottom of the tube ; calyx 

 obsolete ; corolla campanulate ; peduncles tomentose. Spring. 

 I. short, oblong, acute, obtuse or even cordate at base, wavy, 

 very rugose and convex, revolute on the edges, covered beneath 

 with close, pale brown wool. Ceylon. A small, hardy tree, with 

 rugged, corkv bark. In its native place, it attains a height of 

 30ft. and a girth <if 4ft. (h. & P. F. ii. i. 7.) 



R. Shepherdli (Shepherd's), fi. of a deep scarlet, disposed in 

 large, terminal heads like those of R. barbatum ; calyx small, but 

 distinct, four-lobed ; corolla broadly campanulate, equally five- 

 lolied ; stamens ten. Spring. I. towards the ends of the 

 brauchlets, oblong or elliptic-oblong, acute, 3iu. to 4in. long, 

 about lin. wide, deep green above, pale below, very thick and 

 opaque ; young ones deep purplish-red beneath, h. 6ft. Bhotan, 

 1859. (B. M. 5125.) 



R, Smithli (Smith's). A synonym of R. harhatum Smithii. 



R. Thomsoni (Thomson's).* fl. in a corymb of six to eight, on 

 peihuules lin. or more long ; calyx red in the upper half, green 

 below, 4'in. long and wide; corolla deep blood-re<l and glossy; 

 tube elongated, 2in. long, often vertically compressed ; limb 

 large, much spreading, tive-Iol)ed, the upper one spotted; 

 stamens ten, slightly exceeding the tulie. June. /. 2in. to 3in. 

 long, very broad, generally orldcular-ovate. liut sometimes nearly 

 orbicular, hlunt and shortly mucronate at apex, quite glabrous, 

 sub-glaucous below, h. 6ft. to 10ft.. or sometimes 15ft. Sikkim, 

 1851. (B. M. 4997 ; F. d. S. 688-90 ; R. S. H. xii.) 



R. triilorum (three-flowered), fi., calyx very short, five-toothed 

 or lobed ; condla gi*eenish-yelIow. resembling that of the common 

 Azalea ; limb nearly 2in. across, of five spreading segments ; 

 stamens eight, much exserted, the style much longer ; peduncles 

 usually in threes, Mn. to ^in. long. May and June. I. often 

 peuiUiious. 1)11 rather short, slender petioles, ovate-lanceolate, 

 approaching oblong or elliptical, 2in. (rarely 3in.) long, acute at 

 both ends, or cordate at base and sometimes blunt, beset with 

 ferruginous squamules below. Branches twiggy, h. 4ft. to 6ft. 

 Sikkim, 1850. Half-hardy. (O. C. n. s., xviii. 45 ; R. S. H. xix.) 



R, VeitCllianum(Veitch's).* fi. pure white, three or four together 

 from the apex of a lu-anch ; corolla very large, between cam- 

 panulate and funnel-shaped, tlie margins of the limb singularly 

 waved and crisped. May. I. 3in. to 4in. long, obovate, acute, 

 mucronate, very shortly petiolate, glaucous aiul clothed with red 

 or ferruginous scales beneath, h. 6ft. Moulmein, 1850. Half- 

 hardy. (B. M. 4992.) 



R. virgatum (twiggy), fi. very delicate rose-colour, axillary 

 from the upper and more crowded leaves, nearly sessile, when 

 fully expanded forming a leafy head. April. I. scattered, 

 petiolate, short or oblong-lanceolate, acute and slightly mucro- 

 nate. Branches twiggy, slender, the new shoots covered with 

 copious, peltate scales, h. Wit. Sikkim-Himalaya, 1850. Half- 

 hardy. (B. M. 5060.) 



R. Walliohii (Wallich's). A form of R. campanulaiuuu 



R. Wightii (Wight's), fi. on slender pedicels, lin. to lAin. long, 

 faintly lumey-scented, twelve to twenty in beads larger than those 

 of R. arhoreum; calyx obsolete; corolla pale straw-colour, stained 

 and spotted with blood-colour on the inside of the tube and 

 upper lobes, large and very beautiful, truly bell-shaped, five- 

 lobed at the insertion of the pedicel ; stamens ten. June. /. 6in. 

 to Sin. (rarely lOin.) long, 2iin. to 3in. broad, very coriaceous, 



