510 WILSON EXPEDITION TO CHINA 



excepta villosis, antheris ochraceis; ovarium conicum, circiter 2 mm. 

 longum, dense lepidotum; stylus purpurascens, stamina superans, 

 glaber, 1.5 cm. longus, stigmate capitato saepe lobato. Capsula 

 matura desideratur. 



Western Szech'uan: Mupin, uplands, alt. 3300-4000 m., June 

 1908 (No. 3458). 



Very closely allied to Rhododendron polycladum Franchet, which differs chiefly 

 in its narrower elliptic-oblong leaves narrowed at both ends and in the darker 

 brown scales on their under side. The specific name refers to the conspicuous 

 glistening gland-like center of the scales on both sides of the leaves. 



Rhododendron nitidulum, var. nubigenum Rehder & Wilson, n. 

 var. 



Frutex 10-35 cm. altus, ramosissimus ramis erectis v. adscenden- 

 tibus brevibus; ramuli hornotini dense f usco-lepidoti ; gemmae ovoideae, 

 obtusae, perulis paucis, inferioribus mucronatis, in medio dorsi dense 

 lepidotis ceterum minutissime puberulis purpurascentibus margine 

 albo-ciliolatis. Folia coriacea, in apice ramulorum congesta, aro- 

 matica, ovalia, obtusa v. acutiuscula, basi late cuneata, 4-8 mm. longa 

 et 3-5 mm. lata, supra atroviridia, dense glandulis flavidis nitidulis 

 conspersa, subtus densissime lepidota squamulis flavido-fuscis, costa 

 supra leviter impressa subtus obsoleta, nervis secundariis evanidis; 

 petioli dense fusco-lepidoti, 1-2 mm. longi. Flores solitarii v. bini 

 e gemma terminal! orti, subsessiles; calyx variabilis, plerumque 

 coloratus, membranaceus, profunde 5-lobus, lobis ovatis 2-4 mm. 

 longis saepe inaequalibus dorso sparse lepidotis margine ciliatis; 

 corolla infundibuliformis, roseo-lilacina, extus glabra, circiter 2 cm. 

 diam., tubo 4-5 mm. longo intus ad faucem dense villoso, lobis ovatis 

 v. obovatis rotundatis 8-10 mm. longis et circiter 5 mm. latis, 

 stamina 10, corollam subaequantia, filamentis 10-12 mm. longis 

 infra medium villosis basi complanatis et glabris, antheris ochraceis; 

 ovarium conicum 2 mm. longum, dense lepidotum; stylus circiter 

 12 mm. longus, stamina superans, purpureus, glaber, stigmate capi- 

 tato atropurpureo. Capsula ovoidea, 5 mm. longa, obtusa, lepidota, 

 5-valvata. 



Western Szech'uan: vicinity of Tachien-lu, moorlands, alt. 

 4300-5000 m., July 1908 (No. 3461, type); same locality, 1903 (Veitch 

 Exped. No. 3935). 



This variety differs from the type chiefly in its lower habit, smaller leaves, 

 darker brown beneath and larger, usually colored, calyx. It is the most alpine of 

 all the Rhododendrons known from the neighborhood of Tachien-lu. 



