RHODODENDRON 363 



class certificate by the Royal Horticultural Society, 2nd April 1907. The true 

 R. NIGRO-PUNCTATUM, Bureau (Bot. Mag., t. 8529), is similar in its twiggy 

 habit and scaly foliage to R. intricatum. The leaves are oval-oblong or 

 obovate, i to ^ in. long, covered with golden-brown scales on both surfaces. 

 Flowers solitary or few in a cluster, scarcely stalked; corolla violet-purple, 

 i in. wide, with five spreading ovate lobes; calyx-lobes oblong, \ in. long, 

 margins hairy towards the ends; stamens ten, \ in. long, very hairy at 

 the base, both they and the style protruded. Native of China and Thibet; 

 discovered by Prince Henri d'Orleans in 1890. Although confused with 

 R. intricatum, it is very distinct in the much exposed stamens and larger 

 calyx, 



R. KAEMPFERI, Planchon. 



(Azalea indica var. Kaempferi, Re/ider.) 



A semi-evergreen or nearly deciduous shrub, probably 8 or 10 ft. high in 

 favourable localities ; young twigs covered with appressed, forward-pointing 

 bristles. Leaves I to 2^ ins. long, to I in. wide ; oval, or somewhat 

 diamond-shaped, glossy green above, paler beneath, with scattered bristly 

 hairs on both surfaces. Flowers about 2 ins. in diameter, variable in colour, 

 purplish rose, rose-coloured or rosy scarlet ; produced about mid-May, two to 

 four in terminal clusters. Corolla open bell-shaped, with five roundish oval 

 lobes. Calyx-lobes five, narrowly ovate or obovate, hairy outside and at the 

 margins ; stamens five ; flower-stalk silky-hairy, J in. long. 



'Native of Japan ; introduced to the United States by Prof. Sargent in 

 1892, thence to Kew two years later. Nearly allied to R. indicum, this 

 species differs in its nearly deciduous habit, the leaves in any case persisting 

 one winter only, by its more numerous flowers in a cluster, and by the yellow 

 anthers. It is also very much hardier, and, excepting R. amcenum, the best 

 and hardiest of the indicum group of azaleas for near London. Whilst it does 

 not suffer by the hardest winter weather, it is, unfortunately, liable to injury by 

 late frosts, which occasionally destroy not only the blossom but the young 

 shoots also. It thrives excellently, and every year makes a great show in the 

 Arnold Arboretum. 



R. KAMTSCHATICUM, Pallas. 

 (Bot. Mag., t. 8210.) 



A deciduous shrub growing in low dense tufts 2 or 3 ins. high, producing 

 its flowers on stems twice as high. It spreads by means of underground 

 suckers. Young shoots furnished with scattered bristles. Leaves stalkless, 

 obovate, f to 2 ins. long, ^ to f in. wide ; thin in texture, smooth above, 

 slightly bristly beneath, and conspicuously so on the margin. Flowers solitary 

 or in pairs (rarely in threes) on an erect, slender, glandular-bristly stem 3 to 

 5 ins. high, the lateral flower or flowers produced on stalks f to IT? ins. 

 long ; corolla ii to if ins. across, rosy crimson, with five open, spreading, 

 oblong lobes, the three upper ones spotted. Calyx green, i in. across, the 

 lobes narrowly oblong, bristly ; stamens ten, very downy at the bottom. 



This remarkable and pretty rhododendron, so distinct from every other, 

 is a native of Kamtschatka and other parts of N.E. Asia. Introduced in 

 1799. It is still very rare, although many times introduced. Whilst not 

 difficult to cultivate, it requires rather special treatment the ordinary conditions 

 adapted to Ericaceae in general do not quite suit it. Found naturally in 

 boggy places, it needs chiefly more continuous surface moisture than 

 rhododendrons in general do, although they are well known to love cool, moist 

 conditions about the roots. I have found that the most successful way to 



