ERICACEAE. — RHODODENDRON 527 



which are irregularly notched. This variety differs from the type chiefly in its 

 glabrous branchlets, smaller leaves inclined to be rounded at the base and in the 

 broad campanulate or cup-shaped corolla; it is similar to R. hypoglaucum Hemsley 

 but differs in its ovary being densely covered with white hairs. 



Rhododendron argyrophyllum, var. omeiense Rehder & Wilson, n. 

 var. 



Frutex 2-metralis; ramuli graciles, glabri v. fere glabri. Folia 

 oblanceolata v. lanceolata, acuminata, basi cuneata, subtus tomento 

 cinereo-albido v. fulvescente obtecta, 7-10 cm. longa. Corolla cam- 

 panulata, basi leviter angustata, 3.5-4 cm. longa et circiter 4.5 cm. 

 diam. 



Western Szech'uan: without precise locality, May 1904 (Veitch 

 Exped. No. 3962% type); Mt. Omei, June 1904 (Veitch Exped. No. 

 5137»). 



This variety differs from the type chiefly in the dun-colored tomentum of the 

 under side of the generally smaller leaves and in the broader corolla less narrowed 

 at the base. 



Rhododendron hypoglaucum Hemsley in Jour. Linn. Soc. XXVI. 

 25 (1889). — Diels in Bot. Jahrh. XXIX. 512 (1910). — Bean in Flora 

 & Sylva, III. 164 (1905). — Hemsley & Wilson in Kew Bull. Misc. 

 Inform. 1910, III.— Pampanini mNuov. Gior. Bot. Ital. n. ser. XVII. 

 683 (1910). 



Rhododendron gracilipes Franchet in Jour, de Bot. IX. 391 (1895). 

 Rhododendron chionophyllum Diels in Bot. Jahrh. XXIX. 512 (1900). 



Western Hupeh: Fang Hsien, woods, alt. 2300 m., May 19, 

 1907 (No. 3443, in part; bush 2.5-6 m. tall, flowers white with reddish 

 blotch); Hsing-shan Hsien, woods, alt. 1600-2300 m.. May 14, 1907 

 (No. 3443, in part; bush 2.5-4 m.tall, flowers pale rose-pink); Changlo 

 Hsien, woods, alt. 1600-2000 m.. May 1907 (No. 3443, in part; bush 

 1-3 m.tall, flowers, white, spotted) ; Patung Hsien, woods, alt. 2000 m.. 

 May 1907 (No. 3443, in part; bush 2.5-4 m. tall, flowers pink, spotted) ; 

 without locality, May 1900 (Veitch Exped. No. 311). 



This is an exceedingly common species in western Hupeh and possibly only a 

 geographical form of R. argyrophyllum Franchet. The ovary varies from hirsutely 

 glandular to glabrous, as described by Diels for his R. chionophyllum, and with 

 the material before us we cannot separate this species. The pedicels in R. hypo- 

 glaucum Hemsley vary considerably in length and are either glabrous or sparsely 

 pubescent; the loan of a specimen of R. gracilipes Franchet from the Paris 

 Museum has enabled us to establish the identity of these two species. R. graci- 

 lipes Franchet and R. chionophyllum Diels are identical and merely non-glandular 

 forms of R. hypoglaucum Hemsley. 



