506 WILSON EXPEDITION TO CHINA 



alpine species with crowded persistent bud-scales and bracts. A specimen from 

 Hort. Veitch differs in liaving the style about one-half longer than the ovary, but 

 shorter than the stamens. 



Group b. 



Stamens nearly as long as the corolla; style shorter than the stamens; corolla 

 purple, more or less villose at the mouth; flowers solitary. Leaves less than 1 

 cm. long. 



Rhododendron alpicola Rehder & Wilson, n. sp. 



Frutex 0.30-1 m. altus, intricato-ramosus ramis brevibus erecto- 

 patentibus; ramuli hornotini fusco-lepidoti; gemmae ovoideae ob- 

 tusae, perulis paucis rotundatis in medio dorsi lepidotis ciliatis. 

 Folia coriacea, congesta, ovata, rarius ovalia, obtusa, basi rotundata 

 V. late cuneata, margine leviter revoluta, 5-8 mm. longa et 2-5 mm. 

 lata, supra atroviridia et squamulis fiavescentibus nitidulis dense 

 obtecta, subtus squamulis pallide flavescenti-cinereis congestis den- 

 sissime obtectis paucis fuscis intermixtis, costa nervisque obscuris; 

 petioli fusco-lepidoti, 1-2 mm. longi. Flores solitarii, e gemma ter- 

 minali orti, brevissime pedicellati, basi bracteis lineari-oblongis 

 ciliatis suffulti; calyx cupularis, dense lepidotus, 5-lobus lobis in- 

 aequalibus, 1 v. 2 oblongis circiter 2 mm. longis sparse ciliolatis, 

 reliquis minutis rotundatis; corolla infundibuliformis, circiter 1.5 cm. 

 diam., violaceo-purpurea (" lavender-purple "), extus glabra; tubo 

 4 mm. longo intus ad faucem sparse villoso, lobis patentibus late 

 ovatis V. obovatis, 8-10 mm. longis; stamina 10, subaequalia, corolla 

 paullo breviora, filamentis gracilibus complanatis 7-9 mm. longis 

 in trienti inf eriore ima basi excepta villosis, antheris f ulvis ; ovarium 

 conicum, circiter 2 mm. longum, dense squamulis virescenti-flavidis 

 obtectum; stylus purpureus, rectus, staminibus brevior, 4 mm. longus, 

 infra medium pilosus, stigmate capitato atropurpureo. Capsula 

 ovoidea, circiter 4 mm. longa, dense lepidota, 5-valvata, ad basin 

 dehiscens. 



Western Szech'uan: north of Tachien-lu, Ta-p'ao-shan, moor- 

 lands, 4000-5000 m., July 7, 1908 (No. 3465)- 



This species is perhaps most closely related to R. ramosissimum Franchet, 

 which is distinguished by the rufous-brown color of the lower surface of the leaves, 

 and by the different calyx and glabrous style. Rhododendron thymifolmm Maximo- 

 wicz differs in the oblong or obovate leaves, uniformly pale gray below, in its colored 

 calyx deciduous from the fruit and apparently glabrous style. 



Rhododendron alpicola, var. striatum Rehder & Wilson, n. var. 

 A typo differt habitu fastigato, floribus interdum 2 v. 3, bracteis 



