HORTUS VE1TCHII 



first detected by Mr. Miers, with neat foliage, and small tubular pale 

 blue flowers, succeeded by globose bright blue fruit. 



EHODODENDEON AUKICULATUM, Hemsl. 



Jour. R.H.S. 1903, vol. xxviii. p. 64, fig. 25. 



A handsome species introduced through Wilson from Central China, 

 common on precipitous cliffs north of the Yangtsze at elevations of more 

 than 5,000 ft. 



The flowers, not yet seen in England, are large, funnel-shaped, 3 in. in 

 depth, 4 in. wide at the mouth, pure white or rosy pink in colour, and 

 very striking. 



The leaves some 8 in. in length by 2| in. broad, are prolonged into two 

 ear-like processes at the point of insertion of the petiole with the blade. 



EHODODENDEON CALIFOENICUM, Hook. 



Gard. Chron. 1855, p. 391 (Note on Exhibit) ; Bot. Mag. t. 4863. 



Discovered by William Lobb during his first collecting mission to 

 California, and introduced to this country, where the plant flowered for 

 the first time during June in the year 1855. 



It produces compact trusses of flowers, deep rose-tinted, and is now 

 rarely met with. 



EHODODENDEON x EAELY GEM. 



Gard. Chron. 1878, vol. ix. p. 335, fig. 57, p. 336. 



A hybrid raised at Coombe Wood from Ehododendron praecox and 

 E. dahauricum, the former itself the offspring of E. dahauricum and 

 E. ciliatum. 



Early Gem is a dwarf compact plant with small dark green persistent 

 foliage and fairly large pinkish lilac flowers in dense profusion in March 

 and early April. Always an admirable subject for forcing, and in 

 favourable springs one of the earliest to flower in the open. 



EHODODENDEON INDICUM, Sweet, var. OBTUSUM. 



Syns. JZ. obtusum, Planch ; Azalea obtusa, Lindl. 

 Lindl. Bot. Reg. vol. xxxii. t. 37 ; Nicholson in Gard. Chron. 1886, vol. xxv. p. 585, fig. 



This charming little plant with vivid orange-scarlet flowers was 

 originally introduced from Shanghai to the gardens of the Horticultural 

 Society by Fortune, in 1844, but probably lost to cultivation until re- 

 introduced from Japan by the Veitchian firm. 



406 



