344 FLOWERS OF GARDEN AND GREENHOUSE 



Horticulturally considered, Rhododendrons group 

 " themselves in four classes, in which we will set down the 

 characters of the principal species. 



I. Hardy Rhododendrons. 



Rh. arboreum (tree-like). Trunk branching, 20 to 35 feet. 

 Leaves lance-shaped, large and leathery, the edges rolled back, smooth 

 above, covered with silvery scales beneath. Flowers white, rosy, or 

 blood-red, in large, dense clusters ; March to May. A fine half-hardy 

 tree, introduced from Himalaya, 1820. There are several natural 

 varieties ; and there are some good hybrids among its progeny, but they 

 mostly share its characteristic of flowering early, which makes them 

 unsuitable for outdoor planting, except in sheltered localities. It is, 

 however, one of the principal parents of the popular garden Rhodo- 

 dendrons. 



Rh. blandfordi^florum (Blandfordia - flowered). Stem with 

 slender scaly branchlets, 8 feet high. Leaves lance-shaped, leathery, 2 

 or 3 inches long, with rusty scales on the under-surface. Flowers 

 tubular, drooping, 1| to 2| inches long, cinnabar or orange-red, five to 

 ten in a cluster ; April. A native of Himalaya, introduced 1851. 



Rh. campanulatum (bell-shaped). Stem 4 feet high. Leaves 

 elliptic, smooth above, covered with a reddish powder below. Flowers 

 2 inches across, rosy, or pale lilac spotted with purple; in corymbs; 

 April. Hardy. Introduced from Sikkim, 1825. 



Rh. catawbiense (first found near the Catawba River). Bushy, 

 4 to 6 feet high. Leaves broad oval. Flowers broad bell-shaped, lilac ; 

 July. Hardy. Introduced from Carolina, 1809. One of the parents of 

 many of the best of the garden Rhododendrons. 



Rh. caucasicum (Caucasian). Stems decumbent, 1 foot high. 

 Leaves lance-shaped or oval, the edges rolled back, under-side covered 

 with rusty wool. Flowers funnel-shaped, rosy without, white within, 

 the tluoat spotted with green; in corymbs; August. Hardy. Intro- 

 duced from the mountains of the Caucasus, 1803. One of the parents of 

 ^^iirdcn Khododendrons. 



Rh. ciliatum (fringed as with eyelashes). Stem 2 feet high. 

 Leaves elliptic, leathery; upper-side velvety, under-side covered with 

 rusty scales. Flowers large, bell-shaped, rosy pink or white; in 

 terminal clusters of three or more; May. Whole plant more or less 

 hairy. Introduced by Sir J. D. Hooker from Sikkim. Half-hardy, 

 except in the South. 



Rh. dahuricum (Dahurian). Stem erect, 3 feet high. Leaves 

 deciduous, egg-shaped, scaly. Flowers rosy, occurring singly or in 



