Ericacece Rhododendron . 281 



6. Rh. arboreum (fig. 158). : This species is not quite hardy 

 even in the most favoured localities of this country, but we 

 give it a place here because it is sometimes planted, and be- 

 cause some of the varieties in cultivation are probably hybrids 

 between this and other species. It forms naturally a small 

 tree from 25 to 35 feet high, with thick leaves having revolute 

 margins, glabrous above, and clothed with silvery scales beneath, 

 and large clusters of beautiful scarlet flowers. Amongst the 

 multitude of varieties and hybrids attributed to this species we 

 may mention, altaclarense, a fine hardy scarlet, said to be a 

 hybrid between this and Rh. Catawbiense. There are several 

 wild forms referred here, as album, puniceum, roseum, cinna* 

 momeum, etc. This species is a native of Nepal. 



7. Rh. campanulatum. A small shrub from 4 to 6 feet 

 high. Leaves elliptical, glabrous above, pulverulent and fawn- 

 coloured below. Flowers very large, campanulate, rose or 

 white, spotted with purple at the base of the three upper lobes. 

 This is likewise a native of Nepal, though perhaps rather 

 hardier than the last. There are many varieties, flowering 

 with us in March and April, and consequently often injured 

 by the frosts. 



8. Rh. maximum. A small tree from 10 to 15 feet high. 

 Its leaves are oblong-lanceolate, slightly revolute, glabrous 

 above, slightly pulverulent and ferruginous beneath. Flowers 

 in dense depressed terminal clusters of medium size, campanu- 

 late, rose and white with a pale yellow blotch and purple- 

 brown spots on the upper lobe, or wholly white. This is a very 

 hardy species, a native of North America on the Atlantic 

 coast from Carolina to Canada, and was introduced into 

 Europe about the middle of the last century. The most 

 familiar variety is album, whose flowers are of snowy whiteness. 

 It has also furnished some good hybrids, amongst others Dona 

 Maria, obtained in Belgium by crossing it with Rh. Ponticum. 

 It is a superb and very hardy plant, equally desirable for the 

 large size of its clusters and its pretty rosy flowers spotted 

 with orange-red. The variety Prince Camille de Rohan, re- 

 ferred to above, is thought by some to be a hybrid between this 

 and Rh. arboreum, or Rh. Caucdsicum. 



9. Rh. Catawbiense. This is another North American 

 species, originally discovered by Mr. Fraser in the neighbour- 

 hood of the source of the Catawba river in North Carolina, 

 and introduced early in the present century. It is a bushy 



