CHAP. LXIX. RICA X CE^. 7?HODODF/NDRON. 114-7 



more perfectly lovely than this. Its leaves, of the richest and 

 deepest green, mellowed by the warm tone of their under surface; 

 its large clusters of hull-shaped flowers, hanging loosely, yet com- 

 pactly, by their slender stalks; and the half-transparent snowy 

 corollas ; form together an effect which few objects could rival, and 

 none surpass." {Sot. Reg., July, 183-L) This variety and R. a. 

 roseum, as already remarked, are found at an elevation of 10,000 ft. 

 above the level of the sea ; and Dr. Wallich states that they are 

 confined to the single mountain of Sheopore : R. a. roseuin is 

 there by far the most common variety, lie says, " They attain the 

 size of very large forest trees, and are noble objects at all times. 

 They blossom simultaneously in April, in which, state their beauty 

 surpasses description, the ample crown of the trees being entirely 

 covered with bunches of large and elegant blossoms." The common 

 red-flowered, or parent, species (/?. a. sangumeum) is also found on 

 Sheopore ; but it is less frequent there than in lower situations, 

 where it blossoms a month earlier than the varieties. The hardiness 

 of the varieties of any species being proved, affords a presumption 

 that the species itself is only accidentally tender, and that, after 

 some generations, it may become hardy. 



J R. a. t ciiiiirinioineiDn; R. rinnamomeum Wall. C'ftt., No. 760., and Don's 

 Mill., iii. p. 384. ; has the leaves clothed with an intense rusty to- 

 mentum beneath ; and corollas like those of R. a. niveum, but not 

 of so clear a white, and spotted with brown instead of purple. It 

 was introduced from Nepal in 1817, and flowered for the first time 

 in the Chelsea Botanic Garden in 1832. 



5 R. a. 5 venustum D. Don, Brit. Fl.-Gard., May, 1835, 2d ser., t. 285., 

 is a hybrid, and an exceedingly showy arid interesting plant. It 

 was raised by Mr.Wm. Smith, 

 nurseryman, Norbiton Com- 

 mon, near Kingston, Surrey, 

 from seeds of R. caucasicum, 

 that had been fertilised by \3sh 

 the pollen of R. arboreum, \^ 

 and appears hardier than the \v^ 

 species. ^ 



f)//n'i- varieties and hybrids of II. arboreum 

 and other half-hardy species may be found in 

 the nurseries, some with and others without 

 names; some of them rather tender, and others, 

 such as R, a. altaclertnse (fig. 952.) quite hardy 

 or nearly so. The names of several new va- 

 rieties will doubtless appear in the nursery- 

 men's catalogues, and in the botanical period!- ;:: ^BS^ 9 ^Iff^B'sV 



cals, before this work is completed : for there X*\ I * 



arc many hundreds of seedlings of K. arb6reum ^ \ '/(' : I 



fertilised with hardy species; and hardy species o -,-.? 



fertilised with R. arboreum, in Knight's \j'y 



Exotic Nursery, in the Norbiton Common 



Nursery, and in various others, which are now (Sept. 1, 18-%) showing blossom buds for the 

 first time. Many of these hybrids will appear, be recorded, and afterwards, when they are sup- 

 planted by others of still newer origin, lost. 



* 29. 7?. CAMPANULA'TUM D. Don. The bell-shape^o^m/ Rhododendron. 



Identification. D. Don in Wern. Mem., 3. p. 409. ; Prod. Fl. Nep., p. 153. ; Don's Mill . 3. p 844 

 Engravings. Lodd. Bot. Cab., 1. 1944. ; Swt. Fl.-Gard., 2d s., t. 241. ; and our Jig. 953. 



. Char., $c. Leaves elliptic-oblong, mucronate, rusty beneath, rather 

 cordate at the base. Segments of corolla flat, emarginate. Ovarium 

 6-celled, glabrous. Under surfaces of leaves clothed with fine scaly pu- 

 bescence, at first of a purplish hue, then changing to nearly white, 

 and afterwards to a deep ferruginous brown. Flowers copious, disposed 

 in corymbose clusters. Pedicels glabrous. Bracteas fringed. Corollas 

 large, pale pink, changing to white, having the upper lip marked with 

 irregular purple spots. Filaments bearded at the base. This species 

 surpasses all others in the si/e of its flowers, except one found in Java bv 



