524 WILSON EXPEDITION TO CHINA 



R. villosum Hemsley & Wilson. It is also closely related to R. Augustinii Hemsley, 

 which has narrower leaves with midribs densely villose below, unbearded petioles, 

 smaller, more numerous, very sparingly lepidote flowers and villose shoots and 

 leaves. This new species is rather local in its distribution; its handsome rich 

 purple-red flowers make it one of the most beautiful plants in this section. 



This species is named for Mary Shreve Ames of North Easton, Massachusetts, 

 a generous friend of the Arnold Arboretum and of its Chinese explorations. 



Rhododendron Augustinii Hemsley in Jour. Linn. Soc. XXVI. 19 

 (1889). — Bean in Flora & Sylva, III. 162, t. (1905). — Mottet in 

 Rev. Hort. 1909, 18, fig. 16. — Hemsley & Wilson in Kew Bull. Misc. 

 Inform. 1910, lU.—Gard. Chron. ser. 3, LII. 4, fig. 3 (1912). 



Western Hupeh: north and south of Ichang, margins of woods, 

 thickets and cliffs, alt. 1300-2300 m., May and November 1907 

 (No. 6o8; shrub 1.5-6 m. tall, flowers rose-pink to deep lavender- 

 purple); Fang Hsien, woodlands, alt. 1600-2000 m.. May 1907 (No. 

 3457; shrub 1-2 m. tall, flowers lilac-purple); Changyang Hsien, 

 mountains, alt. 2300 m., May 1900 (Veitch Exped. No. 302). 

 Western Szech'uan: Chiu-ting-shan, near Mao-chou, alt. 2000 m., 

 May and October 1908 (No. 1207; shrub 1-3 m. tall, flowers light 

 rosy-purple); west and near Wen-ch'uan Hsien, alt. 2000-3000 m., 

 October and November 1908 (Nos. 1197, 1237; shrub 2-5 m. tall); 

 west and near Wen-ch'uan Hsien, woodlands, alt. 2000-2600 m., 

 October 1910 (No. 4238; shrub 2-2.5 m. tall). z , 



This is an exceedingly common species in Hupeh, delighting in rocky situations 

 fully exposed to the sun. The flowers vary very much in color, but the species is 

 always easily recognizable. No. 3457 from Fang Hsien is more glabrous than the 

 type, the Szech'uan specimens have slightly longer (1.5-2.5 cm.) and often sparsely 

 pilose capsules. The fascicles are usually terminal and 3-flowered ; in vigorous shoots, 

 however, often six flowers occur in the fascicle and lateral fascicles also develop. 



Rhododendron villosum Hemsley & Wilson in Kew Bull. Misc. 

 Inform. 1910, 119. — Schneider, III. Handb. Laubholzk. II. 1045 

 (1912). 



Western Szech'uan: Mupin, thickets, alt. 1600-2800 m., June 

 and November 1908 (Nos. 1220, 1220'*; shrub 1.5-6 m. tall, flowers 

 light purple); same locality, woodlands, alt. 2300-2800 m., October 

 1910 (No. 4242; bush 2-2.5 m. tall); Wa-shan, woods, alt. 2600-3150 

 m., June and November 1908 (No. 1342; bush 4-6 m. tall, flowers 

 dark red-purple); south-east of Tachien-lu, woods, alt. 2600-3000 m., 

 June 1908 (No. 3445; bush 2-4 m. tall, flowers purple) ; without precise 

 locality, May and July 1904 (Veitch Exped. Nos. 3944, type, 3945, 

 3946 and seed No. 1862). 



