544 WILSON EXPEDITION TO CHINA 



Rhododendron sutchuenense Franchet in Jour, de Bot. IX. 392 

 (1895). — Hemsley & Wilson in Kew Bull. Misc. Inform. 1910, 112. — 

 Hemsley in Bot. Mag. CXXXVII. t. 8362 (1911). — Schneider, III. 

 Handb. Laubholzk. II. 1045, fig. 615 f-g. (1912). 



Western Hupeh: Fang Hsien, woods, alt. 2500 m.. May 1907 

 (No. 509, in part; bush 6 m. tall, head 4 m. through, flowers rose with 

 dark blotch); Hsing-shan Hsien, woods, alt. 2000-2500 m.. May 1907 

 (No. 509, in part; bush 6 m. and more tall, flowers rose-pink with dark 

 blotch) ; Changyang Hsien, woods, alt. 1600-2200 m., May and October 



1907 (No. 509, in part; bush 2-4 m. tall, flowers rose-red with dark 

 blotch); without precise locality, April and September 1900 (Veitch 

 Exped. Nos. 17, 2537); without locaHty, A. Henry (Nos. 5285, 6914). 



This species has larger flowers and leaves and grows to a greater size than any 

 other species found in western Hupeh. It is very common in the woods throughout 

 the north-west parts of the province, but is rare south of the Yangtsze river. Its 

 short pedicels and larger, differently shaped flowers distinguish it from its near 

 relative R. calophytuin Franchet. 



Rhododendron calophytum Franchet in Bull. Soc. Bot. France, 

 XXXIII. 230 (1886); in Nouv. Arch. Mus. Paris, ser. 2, X. 45 {PI. 

 David. II. 83) (1888). — Hemsley & Wilson in Kew Bull. Misc. 

 Inform. 1910, 112. 



Western Szech'uan: Wa-shan, woods, alt. 3000 m., October 



1908 (No. 1224; bush 6 m. tall); same locaHty, woodlands, alt. 2600- 

 3000 m., June 1908 (No. 1367, in part; bush 6 m. tall, flowers rose- 

 red, pedicels scarlet); Mupin, woodlands, alt. 2600-3150 m., June and 

 November 1908 (No. 1367, in part; tree 6-15 m. tall, 1-2 m. girth, 

 flowers rosy-pink, pedicels scarlet) ; south-east of Tachien-lu, forests, 

 alt. 2800-3150 m., October 1910 (No. 4279; tree 6-15 m. tall, 0.5-2 m. 

 girth) ; without precise locality, alt. 2300-3000 m., May 1904 (Veitch 

 Exped. No. 3979). 



The species is common in the forests of western Szech'uan, usually forming a 

 tree and growing to a larger size than any other Rhododendron found in that region. 

 The bark is cinnamon-red passing to pale brown with age. The long scarlet pedicels 

 add greatly to the beauty of the flowers which are borne in large loose trusses. This 

 species is very constant and we can find no variations beyond those of size. A picture 

 of this tree will be found under No. 0265 of Wilson's collection of photographs. 



Group h. 

 Corolla 7-9-lobed. Leaves tomentose or villose beneath. 



Rhododendron auriculatum Hemsley in Jour. Linn. Soc. XXVI. 20 

 (1889). — Hemsley & Wilson in Kew Bull. Misc. Inform. 1910, 108. 



