520 WILSON EXPEDITION TO CHINA 



nulatis minute puberulis sparse lepidotis ciliolatis. Folia tenuiter 

 coriacea, in apice ramulorum congesta, oblonga, apice obtusa, mucrone 

 incrassato instructa, basi rotundata v. late cuneata, supra atroviridia, 

 initio sparsissime lepidota, demum glabra, leviter rugulosa, subtus 

 pallidiora, lepidibus fulvis nitidis conspersa nigrescentibus interspersa, 

 costa media supra impressa subtus elevata, nervis secundariis obso- 

 letis; petioli purpurascentes, 8-14 mm. longi, lepidoti, in parte in- 

 feriore ramulorum folia ad bracteas lineares v. spathulato-lineares 

 6-15 mm. longas per plures annos persistentes reducta. Flores 3-6 

 V. plures, subumbellati ; pedicelli graciles, 1.8-2.5 cm. longi, sparsissime 

 lepidoti; bracteae cito caducae; calyx cupularis, parvus, lobis inaequa- 

 libus rotundatis 1-2 mm. longis margine sparse lepidotis; corolla 

 late campanulata, 2-2.5 cm. longa et 2.5-3 cm. lata, alba, rubro-macu- 

 lata, extus sparsissime lepidota, tubo intus villoso, lobis ovalibus 

 obtusis 1-1.2 cm. longis; stamina 10, inaequalia, longiora corolla 

 paullo breviora, filamentis complanatis infra medium villosis, antheris 

 ochraceis; ovarium cylindricum, 4 mm. longum, dense lepidotum; 

 stylus basi sparsissime villosus, 1 cm. longus, staminibus longioribus 

 paullo brevior, apicem versus sensim incrassatus, stigmate truncate 

 leviter lobato. Capsula cylindrica, saepe leviter curvata, 1-1.5 cm. 

 longa, sulcata, dense lepidota, valvis 5; semina luteo-brunnea, 1.5-2 

 mm. longa, utrinque acuta, exalata. 



Western Szech'uan: west and near Wen-ch'uan Hsien, wood- 

 lands, alt. 3300 m., July 1908 (No. 3421, type); Mupin, cliffs, alt. 

 2600-3000 m., October 1910 (No. 4253). 



This pretty species seems most closely related to R. yanthinum Franchet, 

 but it can at once be distinguished from this and all allied species by the persistent 

 bracts which take the place of leaves on the lower part of the young branches. 



Rhododendron apiculatum Rehder & Wilson, n. sp. 



Frutex 1.5 m. altus, ramis gracilibus, ramulis hornotinis glabris. 

 Folia coriacea, ovalia, subito breviter acuminata, basi truncata v. 

 subcordata, 3-5 cm. longa et 2-3.2 cm. lata, supra laete viridia, glabra, 

 subtus pallidiora, brunneo-lepidota, costa media supra vix impressa 

 subtus elevata, nervis utrinsecus 8-10 supra leviter elevatis subtus 

 obsoletis; petioli 6-8 mm. longi, sparse lepidoti. Flores 2-3, subumbel- 

 lati; pedicelli 7-10 mm. longi, sparsissime lepidota; calyx cupularis, 

 lobis inaequalibus triangularibus v. rotundatis vix 1 mm. longis lepi- 

 dotis; corolla infundibuliformi-campanulata, atropurpurea, 3-3.5 cm. 

 longa et 3.5-3.8 cm. diam., tubo basi fere cylindrico circiter 1.5 cm. 



