RHODODENDRON 359 



liable to suffer injury by May frosts. It is not showy, but pretty when well 

 in bloom. The hybrid, " Rosy Bell," is derived from this species. 



R. GRIFFITH: AN UM, Wight. 



(B~t. Mag., t. 506$ ; R. Aucklandii, Hooker fit.) 



An evergreen shrub or occasionally a small tree, with erect branches and 

 peeling bark. It is quite devoid of down or hairs in all its parts. Leaves 

 narrowly oblong, 6 to 9 (sometimes 12) ins. long, about one-third as much 

 wide ; rather pale green above, slightly glaucous beneath ; stalk r to i| ins. 

 long. Flowers white with a pink tinge, slightly fragrant, 5 or 6 ins. diameter, 

 produced loosely in a cluster of about six ; corolla widely bell-shaped, with 

 five large, rounded lobes notched in the middle. Calyx f to I in. across, 

 buckler-like, scarcely lobed ; stamens up to sixteen, much shorter than the 

 corolla, style i| ins. long, with a large knob-like stigma ; flower-stalk I to 

 if ins. long. 



Native of Sikkim and Bhotan ; introduced in 1849, an d in some respects 

 the finest of all rhododendrons, especially in regard to the size and width of 

 the individual flower, which resembles some fine lily, and is occasionally 7 ins. 

 across. The species is not regarded as hardy near London, but claims 

 notice here as one parent of a rapidly increasing group of hybrids quite 

 distinct from all other hardy groups. The following deserve special 

 mention : 



R. KEWENSE, W. Watson. Raised at Kew in 1875 by the late Mr 

 W. Binder, who gave the parentage as Griffithianum x Hookeri, but the latter 

 species is a doubtful parent. The flowers in shape are like Griffithianum, but 

 smaller, being 3^ to 5 ins. across, white, suffused with rose. One form, 

 ROSEUM, has flowers of a decided rose colour. In both, the unexpanded buds 

 are of a lovely rosy crimson. The large crimson bracts which accompany the 

 young growths are another feature that add to the beauty of this hybrid. It 

 is hardy in the south, but needs a sheltered spot. Leaves as in Griffithianum, 

 but smaller. 



R. LODERI is a hybrid raised at Leonardslee, about 1904, by Sir E. 

 G. Loder, between R. Griffithianum and Fortunei. It is a magnificent 

 rhododendron with pure white or faintly pink flowers 5^ to 6 ins. across, 

 and as many as ten in a truss. 



R. MANGLESII is a hybrid between Griffithianum and R. album elegans, 

 the latter itself a hybrid of the catawbiense group. It has pure white flowers 

 3 to 4 ins. across, with a few spots of red on the upper side of the corolla. 



The variety known as PINK PEARL, the most popular hardy rhododendron 

 of recent times, is derived from R. Griffithianum, as are several other popularly 

 named varieties ; the number is likely to be increased greatly in coming years, 

 especially in the Cornish gardens. 



R. ILEMATOCHEILUM, Craib. 

 (Bot. Mag., t. 8518 ; R. oreodoxa, Franchetf) 



An evergreen shrub with stout twigs up to J in. thick, sparsely set with 

 glandular hairs when young, soon smooth. Leaves oblong, rounded to heart- 

 shaped at the base; rounded, with a short blunt tip at the apex; up to 3^ ins. 

 long by \\ ins. wide; smooth and dark green above, paler beneath; veins in 

 thirteen to fifteen pairs; stalk A to 3- in. long. Flowers eight to ten in a 

 rounded truss 4 ins. across. Corolla broadly funnel-shaped, seven-lobed, 2 ins. 

 wide, the tube scarcely i in. long. In the bud state the flower is almost blood- 

 red, changing when open to carmine, then to a lilac shade. Stamens fourteen, 

 about as long as the corolla tube, white and glabrous; anthers purplish brown. 



