ERICACEAE. — RHODODENDRON 511 



Rhododendron violaceum Rehder & Wilson, n. sp. 



Frutex 0.3-1.3 m. altus, ramosissimus, saepe fastigatus ramis 

 erectis; ramuli annotini dense f usco-lepidoti ; gemmae ovoideae, ob- 

 tusae, pallide brunneae, perulis paucis rotundatis mucronulatis in 

 medio dorsi lepidotis ceterum minutissime puberulis ciliolatis. Folia 

 coriacea, ovalia v. oblonga, obtusa, rarius acutiuscula, basi late 

 cuneata, margine leviter revoluta, 5-12 mm. longa et 3-5 mm. lata, 

 supra atroviridia, dense lepidota, subtus dense lepidota squamulis 

 flavescentibus v. pallide fuscis contiguis fuscis v. atrofuscis inter- 

 mixtis, costa media supra leviter impressa subtus leviter elevata, 

 nervis secundariis evanidis; petioli dense lepidoti, 2-3 mm. longi. 

 Flores 1-3, e gemma terminali orti, subsessiles; perulae plerumque 

 deciduae; calyx cupularis, 5-partitus, lobis inaequalibus ovatis v. 

 rotundatis 0.5-2 mm. longis extus lepidotis apice ciliatis in margine 

 laterali lepidotis saepe scariosis; corolla infundibuliformis, violaceo- 

 purpurea, circiter 2 cm. diam., extus glabra, 5-loba, tubo 4-5 mm. 

 longo, intus ad faucem villoso, lobis patentibus ovalibus v. obovatis 

 rotundatis 7-9 mm. longis; stamina 10, corollam subaequantia, 

 filamentis 9-12 mm. longis, in triente inferiore ima basi dilatata ex- 

 cepta villosis, antheris pallida fuscis; ovarium conicum, 1.5-2 mm. 

 longum, dense lepidotum; stylus stamina superans, 10-12 mm. longus, 

 glaber, purpureus, stigmate capitato atropurpureo. Capsula ovoidea, 

 circiter 5 mm. longa, lepidota, usque ad basin in 5 valvas fissa. 



Western Szech'uan: west of Kuan Hsien, Pan-lan-shan, moor- 

 lands, alt. 4100-4500 m., June 24, 1908 (Nos. 3463, type, 3460) ; same 

 locality, October 1910 (No. 4269). 



This species is related to R. polycladum Franchet, which is readily distinf!;uished 

 by its thinner leaves tapering to the ends and uniformly colored with rufous-brown, 

 lepidote not contiguous scales on the under surface, more numerous flowers (3-5) 

 and different calyx. 



In the type specimens the flowers are all solitary and the bud-scales early de- 

 ciduous; in No. 3460 the flowers are frequently in clusters of twos and threes with 

 persistent bud-scales. 



Rhododendron Websterianum Rehder & Wilson, n. sp. 



Frutex 0.30-1 m. altus, ramosissimus, fastigatus, ramis erectis v. 

 suberectis; ramuli hornotini, cinereo- v. rufescenti-lepidoti, vetus- 

 tiores sordide cinerei; gemmae ovoideae, perulis paucis rotundatis 

 in medio dorsi lepidotis sparse ciliatis. Folia coriacea, congesta, 

 ovata V. elliptica, rarius elliptico-oblonga, obtusa, basi plerumque 

 late cuneata, margine leviter revoluta, 6-15 mm. longa et 3-9 mm. 



