528 WILSON EXPEDITION TO CHINA 



Rhododendron longipes Rehder & Wilson, n, sp. 



Frutex 1-2.5 m. altus, ramulis satis gracilibus; hornotini sparse 

 pubescentes. Folia tenuiter coriacea, oblongo-lanceolata, rarius 

 oblongo-oblanceolata, acuminata, basi cuneata v. late cimeata, 8-13 

 cm. longa et 2-3.5 cm. lata, supra laete viridia, nitidula, leviter elevato- 

 reticulata, glabra, subtus dense tomento Crustacea pallide brunneo 

 obtecta costa media supra impressa subtus elevata, nervis utrinsecus 

 8-12 supra impressis subtus leviter elevatis v. fere obsoletis. Flores 

 10-15, umbellato-racemosi ; rhachis 2-2.5 cm. longa, sparse villosa; 

 pedicelli graciles, 4-4.5 cm. longi, sparse glandulosi, saepe sparsissime 

 villosi; calyx minimus, cupularis, lobis inaequalibus vix 1 mm. longis, 

 acutis V. rotundatis glabris v. rarius sparse glandulosis; corolla 5-loba, 

 e basi late tubulari infundibuliformi-campanulata, pallide rosea, macu- 

 lata, circiter 3.5 cm. longa et 4. cm lata, basi leviter 5-gibbosa, lobis 

 inaequalibus circiter 1 cm. longis et 1.5-2 cm. latis, rotundatis rarius 

 emarginatis; stamina circiter 12, vix corollam dimidiam aequantia, 

 filamentis basi dilatatis glabris; ovarium cylindricum, 6-7 mm. longum, 

 tomento rufo villoso obtectum; stylus rectus, 1.6 cm. longus, basim 

 loborum corollae paullo superans, glaber, stigmate capitato. Capsula 

 matura desideratur. 



Western Szech'uan: Ching-chi Hsien, Ta-hsiang-ling, thickets, 

 alt. 2000-2300 m.. May 16, 1907 (No. 3424, type); without precise 

 locality, alt. 2000-2500 m., May 1904 (Veitch Exped. No. 3966). 



This is a distinct species easily recognized by its foliage and long slender pedi- 

 cels. It is allied to R. insigne Hemsley & Wilson which is a much more vigorous 

 growing species with thick coriaceous leaves, larger flowers and villose stamens. 

 R. argyrophyllum Franchet and its varieties with which this new species may 

 be compared has rather different shaped leaves, clothed with white tomentum 

 below. 



Rhododendron insigne Hemsley & Wilson in Kew Bull. Misc. 

 Inform. 1910, 113. 



Western Szech'uan: Wa-shan, woodlands, alt. 2300-2600 m., 

 June and October 1908 (No. 1339; bush 4-6 m. tall, flowers pink or 

 white); same locahty, alt. 2300-3000 m., July 1903 (Veitch Exped. 

 No. 3965, type). 



The fruit of this handsome species which has not been described is stout, cy- 

 lindric, obtuse, 2-2.5 cm. long, about 1 cm. wide, 8-10-valved with rather thin 

 valves, crowned by the remains of the style, and densely covered with very 

 short, brownish crispate hairs; seeds oblong, 2.5-3 mm. long, yellowish-brown. 

 Bark salmon-red, becoming gray with age, exfoliating in rather thin small 

 flakes. 



