2948 



RHODODENDRON 



RHODORHIZA 



with longer, narrower lobes. July. Caucasus. Gt. 35:1226. B.M. 

 8332. R. Veitchianum, Hook. (1). Shrub, 6 ft. high: Ivs. obovate, 

 glaucous beneath and with scattered ferrugineous scales, 3-4 in. 

 long: fls. 3-5, broadly funnelform, with crisped lobes, pure white, 

 5 in. across. Himalayas. B.M. 4992. F.S. 14:1416. A.F. 11:145. 

 Gn. 51, p. 178. G.M. 45:476. G. 19: 664, 26:71. Var. Isevigatum, 

 Hort. Lobes of corolla only slightly crisped. R. venustum. Sweet. 

 Hybrid of R. arboreum and R. caucasicum. Fls. rich pink. 

 R. Victorianum, Hort. (R. Dalhousiae var. Victorianum, Guilmot). 

 Hybrid between R. Dalhousise and R. Nuttallii. Fls. very large, to 

 5 in. long and to 3J^ in. wide, white, with yellow center: Ivs. glau- 

 cous beneath. F.S. 23:2466. R.B. 13:49. G.C. III. 51:406. G. 

 35:311. R. vittdsum, Hemsl. & Wilson. (1). Evergreen shrub, to 

 18 ft., bristly: Ivs. ovate or oblong, pointed, 2-3 H in- long: fls. 

 in clusters of 3 of more; corolla with funnel-shaped tube and a 

 5-lobed limb, purple. W. China. R. violaceum, Rehd. & Wilson 

 (1). To 4 ft., but sometimes dwarf: Ivs. similar to those of R. 

 intricatum, but narrower, yellowish or brownish lepidote beneath 

 with scattered dark scales, revolute at margin: fls. 1-3, terminal, 

 subsessile; corolla violet-purple, over 1 in. across. W. China. R. 

 mrgatum, Hook. f. (1). Slender shrub: Ivs. oblong-lanceolate, glau- 

 cous and scaly beneath: fls. 1-2, from axillary buds at the end of 

 branches, funnelform, rose-colored, 1 M in. across. Himalayas. B.M. 

 5060. F.S. 14:1408. Var. dlbum, Hort. Fls. white. R.H. 1866:251. 

 R. Wdsonii, Hemsl. & Wilson (2). Shrub, to 6 ft.: Ivs. ovate to 

 ovate-lanceolate, acute, brown-tomentose beneath, 2-3 in. long: 

 fls. about 6, rose-pink to white, campanulate, 1 J^-2 in. across. W. 

 China. R. Wdtsonii, Hemsl. & Wilson (2). Shrub or small tree, 

 to 30 ft.: Ivs. ovate to ovate-lanceolate, slightly wrinkled above, 

 brownish tomentose beneath, 2-3 in. long: fls. 6, funnelform-cam- 

 panulate, 2 in. across, pink or creamy white. W. China. R. 

 Websterianum, Rehd. & Wilson (1). Shrub, to 3 ft.: Ivs. ovate or 

 elliptic, obtuse, lepidote above, densely whitish lepidote beneath, 

 J^-J^in. long: fls. 1-3, funnelform, rosy purple, 1 in. across. W. 

 China. R. Wightii, Hook. f. (2). Shrub, attaining 14 ft.: Ivs. obo- 

 vate-oblong, cinnamomeous-tomentose beneath, 6-8 in. long: fls. 

 many, campanulate, yellow, spotted red within, 2% in- across. 

 Himalayas. F.S. 8:792, 793. B.M. 8492. G.C. III. 50:269. 

 R. Williamsidnum, Rehd. & Wilson (2). Branchlets slender, 

 almost twiggy, diffusely branching: Ivs. ovate or roundish-ovate, 

 usually subcordate, glabrous, %-\% in. long: fls. 3-5 in a termi- 

 nal cluster; corolla pale rose. W. China. R. Willmottise, Hort.= 

 R. Hauceanum. R. Wilsonx, Hemsl. & Wilson. (3). An evergreen 

 shrub, to 6 or 7 ft.: Ivs. narrowly oval or oval-lanceolate, 2J^-4}^ 

 in. long: fls. solitary, axillary, slightly fragrant; corolla pale purple, 

 about 2 in. across. Cent. China. R. WiUonii, Hemsl. & Wilson. 

 (2). Evergreen shrub, to 8 ft. high: young shoots, underside of 

 Ivs. and ovary densely clothed with pale brown wool: Ivs. deeply 

 wrinkled, obovate, 2-3 H in. long: fls. in clusters of 6 or more; 

 corolla pink. W.China. ALFRED REHDER. 



RHODOLEIA (Greek, rose and smooth; alluding to 

 rose-like fls. and smooth st.). Hamamelidacese. Small 

 tender trees: Ivs. evergreen, glabrous, long-stalked: fls. 

 about 5 together in a compact head, having the appear- 

 ance of a single fl. surrounded by bracts, hermaphrodite; 

 petals of each fl. turned toward the circum. of the head; 

 stamens 7-10; ovary of 2 carpels united at base: caps, 

 several-seeded. Two species, one from China and the 

 other from Java and Sumatra. 



Championii, Hook. A tender tree: Ivs. shining, cori- 

 aceous, usually ovate, 4-5 in. long; petioles lM>-2 in. 

 long: fl.-heads resembling a semi-double camellia, 1J^ 

 in. across, bright pink, each head surrounded by several 

 rows of imbricate bracts; petals 15-20 to each fl.-head. 

 China. B.M. 4509. J.F. 1:4. Formerly in cult, in 

 S- Calif. F. Wt BARCLAY. 



RHODOMtfRTUS (Greek, rose-myrtle, from the 

 rose-colored flowers). Myrtacese. Tender trees and 

 shrubs, one of which, R. tomentosa, is of slight economic 

 importance in southern Asia, where it is native, and 

 which is grown to a limited extent in California and 

 Florida. 



Leaves opposite, 5- or 3-nerved: fls. rather large, 

 axillary; calyx-tube turbinate, the lobes persistent; 

 petals 5 or 4; stamens numerous, free, in many series; 

 berry globose or ovoid, with few ,to many seeds. 

 Species about 5. The genus differs from Myrtus in 

 having 1-3 locules in the ovary with 2 rows of ovules 

 in each, the locules frequently with spurious partitions 

 or divided into numerous 1-ovulate superposed cells; 

 while the Ivs., in place of being pinnately veined, have 

 3-5 nerves. R. tomentosa is indigenous to India, Cey- 

 lon, Malaya, and S. China. The other species are Aus- 

 tralian and not cult. 



tomentosa, Wight (Myrtus tomentosa, Ait.). DOWNY 

 MYRTLE. HILL-GOOSEBERRY. Small shrub, up to 5 ft., 



the young branchlets tomentose: Ivs. elliptic or obovate, 

 obtuse, 1-2K in- l n g> hoary below; petioles short: 

 fls. 1-3 on slender peduncles about half the length of 

 the Ivs., rose-pink, J^-Min- broad; calyx tomentose, 

 5-cleft, the lobes unequal; petals downy outside, 

 shortly clawed: berry globose, Kin. broad, dull purple, 

 3-celled, with numerous small compressed seeds in each 

 cell. B.M. 250. This plant seems to be best known in 

 S. India, where it occurs commonly in the mountains. 

 It is said by Macmillan to succeed in Ceylon only at 

 high elevations. In S. China the fr. is sometimes offered 

 in the markets. While intro. to Fla. some years ago, it 

 is not generally grown in that state, although it is an 

 excellent garden plant of ornamental as well as eco- 

 nomic value. According to Reasoner it grows as far 

 north as Putnam County; it succeeds remarkably at 

 Bradentown, where it has almost become naturalized in 

 one or two spots, and it is successfully grown at Miami. 

 In Calif, it has fruited in a few gardens. It does not stand 

 very much frost, although it is hardier than some of 

 the strictly tropical frs. The guava-like fr. is about the 

 size of a gooseberry, of a dull purple color, with numer- 

 ous small seeds embedded in soft pulp of sweet pleasant 

 flavor, somewhat suggesting the raspberry but rather 

 lacking in character. According to Simpson, it makes 

 excellent pies, if picked before fully ripe. The season in 

 Fla. is early summer, at which time the plants are 

 laden with fr. The fls., which appear in spring, resemble 

 small single roses, and are of unusually attractive 

 appearance, making the plant highly ornamental while 

 in bloom. Frequently the frs. ripen over a period of 

 several weeks. In India, according to Hooker, they are 

 made into a jam called thaonti, and are also eaten while 

 fresh. The plant does not seem to be particular regard- 

 ing soil, thriving upon heavy loam or light sand. It is 

 readily prop, by seeds, which should be sown in flats 

 of light soil soon after they are removed from the fr., 

 covering them to the depth of J^in. and pricking off the 

 young plants when 2 in. high. When set out in the 

 open ground the plants do not grow very rapidly, but 

 are of simple cult. In dry climates they require plenty 

 of water. p. W. POPENOE. 



RHOD6RA: Rhododendron canadense. 



RHODORHIZA (Greek, rose root; the root and wood 

 furnish the fragrant powder known as bois de rose). 

 Convolvulacese. Rhodorhiza is a group of about 7 

 species, all from the Canary Isls., which Bentham & 

 Hooker and some other authors regard as a section of 

 the genus Convolvulus. The Rhodorhizas differ from 

 typical Convolvulus in having the caps, by abortion 

 usually 1-seeded, and rupturing irregularly at the base 

 instead of dehiscing by 4 valves. They are prostrate or 

 climbing herbs or erect subshrubs, sometimes spines- 

 cent: Ivs. entire, dentate, undulate or lobed: corolla 

 broadly or narrowly bell -shaped; limb 5-angled or 

 5-lobed; ovary 2-loculed, 4-ovuled. 



florida, Webb, (more properly Convdlvulus floridus, 

 Linn. f.). Erect subshrub: Ivs. persistent, alternate, 

 lanceolate, stalked, entire: fls. long-peduncled, funnel- 

 shaped, white, sometimes pinkish white. Isl. of Ten- 

 eriffe. R.H. 1892 : 156. R. florida is a tender subshrub, 

 6-9 ft. high, which bears white fls. something like a 

 morning-glory. The blossoms are about an inch across 

 and last only a day, but a succession is maintained (in 

 S. France) from early June till Aug. A striking feature 

 of the plant is its terminal, panicled infl. These panicles 

 are often a foot high, 10 in. wide at the base and con- 

 tain at one time as many as 20 full-blown fls. and 100 

 buds. Intro into S. Calif. 



scoparia, Webb, (more properly Convdlvulus scopa- 

 rius., Linn. f.). Shrubby: sts. terete and glabrous: Ivs. 

 linear and rather pilose: fls. white, generally 3 to a 

 peduncle, hairy outside; calyx silky, the sepals ovate, 

 acute. Aug. and Sept. Isl. of Teneriffe. B.R. 27:43. 



