ay 
274 BALFOUR—NEW SPECIES OF RHODODENDRON. 
capping, as it were, the stalk is a small convex umbo with 
reddish or yellowish contents. The margin of the funnel grows 
out into much-branched fringe segments, which are reddish or 
brown and interlace with the branches of adjacent funnels. 
Thus is brought about the more or less woolly tomentum upon 
which may be seen easily the mouths of the several funnels. 
In older leaves these may fall away more or less, leaving a paler 
surface formed by the pedicels and torn fragments of the funnel. 
In Rh. sino-Falconeri the funnel-hairs are likewise formed 
and make up the indumentum, but the stalks are thinner and 
longer, the funnel cells are thinner walled, and the marginal 
fringe segments are longer, their ultimate branches more delicate 
and paler coloured. Hence in Rh. stno-Falconert we have a 
softer tomentum and more velvety surface on which the long 
interlacing hairs spread out. So far as our specimens show, the 
indumentum here is more persistent. The tomentose coating 
of the sulcate ovary is composed here of bundles of hairs rising 
each from a common pluricellular stalk and very closely packed 
together. The individual branch hairs are long and thread-like. 
In Rh. Falconeri there is nothing of this. Merely secreting 
glands. 
Other marks separating the two species there are, such as :— 
the flower pedicels in Rh. sino-Falconeri are stouter, the flowers 
are larger. Altogether the plants are thoroughly distinct. 
By the name Rh. sino-Falconert is indicated that this 
species is the Chinese representative of the Himalayan Rh. 
Falconeri. It is—in the present state of knowledge—the most 
southerly of all the large-leaved species in China. 
Rhododendron sino-grande, Balf. f. et W. W. Sm. 
Frutex grandifolius ad 7 m. altus. Rami juveniles crassi 
eirc. 1 cm. diam. indumento foliorum argenteo-grisei. Alabas- 
trorum ovatorum perulae externae rotundatae acuminato- 
caudatae rubro-purpureae extus glandulis rubris verruculosae 
intermediae carinatae. Folia longe petiolata magna ad 4.5 dm. 
longa; lamina crasse coriacea oblonga vel oblongo-elliptica 
‘vel rarius obovata ad 4 dm. longa ad 19 cm. lata apice rotundata 
rigide mucronata margine cartilaginea fere plana basi obtusa 
vix cordulata supra vix plana vel vix areolata opaca viridis 
bra. media lata anguste sulcata venis primarlis utrinsecus 
circa 16 aan subtus argentea nitens costa media venisque 
primariis secundariisque ex parte elevatis maturitate brunneis 
‘primum indumento obtectis sed plus minusve glabrescentibus 
-caeteroquin laevis strato compacto tenuissimo crustiformi 
-uniformi persistente (mdumenti pilis breviter stipitatis stipite 
pluricellulari colorato ad apicem copiose ramoso ramulis unicellu- 
