368 RHODODENDRON 



nidi's rhododendron forms great masses near Lake Yumoto, in the Nikko 

 Mountains, at 5000 ft. elevation. 



Var. ANGUSTIFOLIUM. This variety differs from the type in its longer, 

 narrower leaves, much more curled in at the margins. They are up to 7 ins. 

 in length and i^ ins. wide, standing out rigidly in a cluster at the end of the 

 shoot. The branches are stiffly erect, and the plant is quite distinct in these 

 respects from any , cultivated rhododendron. Corolla very pale lilac-rose, 

 2^ ins. across. Very vigorous at Kew. 



R. MICRANTHUM, Turczaninow. 

 (Bot. Mag., t. 8198.) 



An evergreen shrub of bushy form, ultimately 4 to 6 ft. high ; branches 

 slender, scaly, and slightly downy when young. Leaves narrowly oval or 

 oblanceolate, tapering at both ends ; f to i ins. long, to \ in. wide ; smooth 

 above, very scaly beneath ; stalk ^ in. or less long. Flowers dull white, \ to 

 \ in. across, numerous and densely packed in a short, terminal, rounded 

 raceme i^ to i^ ins. across. Corolla bell-shaped at the base, with five flatly 

 spreading, oval lobes as long as the tube ; stamens ten, longer than the 

 corolla, not downy ; flower-stalk slender, scaly, \ in. long. 



Native of N. and Central China and Manchuria ; introduced by Wilson, 

 in 1901, from W. Hupeh. It is found at elevations of 5500 to 8000 ft. there, 

 and promises to be quite hardy. It is remarkably distinct in its racemes of 

 small, numerous flowers, which open in May, and give the plant at that time 

 a strong resemblance to Ledum latifolium. Still, it is not in the front rank 

 of rhododendrons. Messrs Rehder and Wilson have recently described a 

 new species allied to this under the name R. LONGISTYLUM. It differs from 

 R. micranthum in having larger, prettier flowers, less scaly foliage, a larger 

 calyx, and especially a style I in. or more long, exceeding the stamens, 

 which are downy at the base. Introduced from W. China in 1908. 



R. MOLLE, Miguel. 



(Azalea mollis, Hort.} 



A deciduous bush, of rounded habit, 4 to 8 ft. high, with stiff, erect 

 branches ; young shoots, sparsely hairy. Leaves narrowly oval or obovate, 

 2 to 4 ins. long, f to ij ins. wide ; dark green and sparsely hairy above, more 

 or less glaucous and slightly hairy beneath when young, especially on the 

 midrib and margins. Flowers six to ten in a cluster, produced during May 

 on the end of leafless shoots, the corolla being of various shades of soft rose, 

 salmon red, and orange red, 2-| to 3^ ins. wide, the lobes oblong ; calyx-lobes 

 oblong to linear-oblong, as long as the ovary, conspicuously edged with long 

 whitish hairs ; flower-stalk ^ to I in. long, hairy. 



Native of Japan, perhaps China also, and one of the most beautiful of all 

 deciduous shrubs. It flowers somewhat in advance of the so-called "Ghent" 

 azaleas that have been derived from R. flavum and the American species, 

 and its blossom is apt to be spoilt by late frosts. Still, it often escapes, 

 especially if planted on -elevated ground, and then gives one of the most 

 delightful of all colour displays. The flowers have no fragrance. There is 

 now a great variety of shades almost white, yellow, deep rose, and salmon 

 among cultivated varieties, which, however much mixed, always harmonise. 

 For some time past it has been the practice among botanists to amalgamate 

 this azalea with R. sinense (qju.). This arrangement has never been accepted 

 in nurseries and gardens, and as there appear to be fairly well-marked differences 

 between them, I have here kept them apart. R. sinense as here interpreted 



