1915-16.] BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH 85 



yellow-flowered species which now bears the name Rh. 

 vielinanthum, Bali. f. et Ward. The locality is not far 

 from Mt. Sila, where Soulie obtained Rh. mekongense, 

 Franch., and I have tried to see in Ward's plant Franchet's 

 species. The characters of Rh. onelinanthum, Balf. f. et 

 Ward, are quite definite, separating it readily from Rh. 

 trichocladum, Franch., and its short calyx, longer pedicels 

 and long projecting style do not fit in with Franchet's 

 description of RJi. mekongense, Franch. 



Until more material is available we must leave the 

 question where it stands. 



Rhododendron mslinanthuni, Balf. f . et Ward.^ Sp. nov. 



A bushy shrub, 6-8 ft. high, with slender scarcely twiggy 

 branches and leaves deciduous after one season. Branchlets 

 of the 3^ear are about 1 mm. in diam., clad with long setae 



1 Rhododendron melinanthum, Balf. f. et Ward. — Frutex circ. 2-2"5 m. 

 altus tenuiramosus vix virgatus. Eamuli hornotini circ. 1 mm. diam.pilis 

 setiformibus plus mintisve praediti et squamulis peltatis rufis perpaucis 

 intermixtis obsiti annoLini glabri albidi. Alabastra ovoidea parvula 

 cataphyllis externis ovatis spadiceis circ. 1 mm. longis glabris intermediis 

 spadiceis oblongis circ. 7 mm. longis acutis vel obtusis vel subtrun- 

 catulis extus lepidotis internis submembranaceis vel subfoliaceis lepi- 

 dotis. Folia parva brevissime petiolata ad 4'5 cm. longa ; lamina 

 anguste obovata vel oblauceolata circ. 4 cm. longa 1"5 cm. lata cliartacea 

 apice subrotundo-obtusa minute mucronvilata margine plana basi 

 cuneata supra laete viridis costa media tenui minutissime puberula 

 venulis primariis delicatis utrinsecus ad 6 ultimisque (siccitate) leviter 

 elevatis ubique minutissime granulosa subtus glauca papillis epider- 

 niicis ceriferis obtecta lepidota squamulis peltatis inaequalibus integro- 

 marginatis conspersis epilosa vel margine et pagina inferiore pilis 

 setiformibus sparsissimis praedita (juventute hirsuta). Intlorescentia 

 terminal is umbellata plerumque 4-flora. Flores plus minusve praecoces. 

 Bracteae mox deciduae (non visae). Pedicelli circ. 1"5 cm. longi tenues 

 stricti sparse lepidoti nunc etiam pilis longis hirsuti. Calyx parvulus 

 lobis 5 ovatis "vel deltoideis ad 2 mm. longis glaberrimis vel lepidotis 

 rarissime pilis paucis fimbriatis. Corolla lutea extus sparsim lepidota 

 epilosa breviter campanulata vel subpoculiformis circ. 2 cm. longa 

 tubo 1 cm. longo intus puberulo limbi ampliati lobis 5 rotundatis 

 circ. 1 cm. latis. Stamina 10 inaequalia corolla breviora filamentis 

 paucis posterioribus fere ad apicem albo-villosis caeteris basin versus 

 puberulis. Ovarium anguste ovoideum circ. 5 mm. longum dense 

 lepidotum ; stylus ultra corollam exsertus ad 2 cm. longus glaberrimus ; 

 stigma lobulatum. 



Species burmanica ex affinitate i?/i. trichocladi, Franch. et Eh. mekon- 

 gensis, Franch. ab hoc pilis lanatis non hispidis, pedicellis longioribus, 

 ovario angustiore, stylo corollam superante, ab illo foliis longioribus 

 angustioribus pagina superiore baud strigoso-puberula inferiore glauciore 

 papillis ceriferis longioribus, pedicellis duplo longioribus, calycis lobis 

 parvis haud hirsutis, corolla hand rotata, stylo duplo longiore longis 

 exserto. 



