HYBRID RHODODENDRONS. 



253 



ceolate, apex acute to acuminate, base very tapering, length 

 2 to 3 inches — B. multicolor. 



B. jasminiflorum. — The elliptical form with truncated base 

 is traceable in immediate descendants, as in the hybrid Jasmini- 

 florum carminatum=J2. jasminiflorum xB. javanicum, but it is 

 soon lost when again crossed with other species or descendants ; 

 as when it is crossed with B. multicolor, except in Nos. 452 and 

 453, which retain much of the form of the leaf of B. jasmini- 

 florum, or again in Ruby=.R. jasminiflorum x B. multicolor, var. 

 Curtisii, this latter species having acute and tapering leaves. 



B. Tcysmannii. — The broadly elliptical form is lost when this 

 species is crossed with B. multicolor, but somewhat retained when 

 crossed with Maiden's Blush=No. 397. Similarly in No. 450= 

 Lord Wolseley x Tcysmannii, and in Nos. 53a, 458, &c. = Princess 

 Frederica x B. Tcysmannii, as also in No. 405 =B. multicolor, 

 var. Curtisii xB. Tcysmannii. It will be observed that B. 

 Tcysmannii is prepotent in these cases while being the male parent. 



B. javanicum. — The broad lanceolate leaf with tapering ends 

 is retained in Diadem, Militare, and Ne plus ultra=jR. javani- 

 cum x Duchess of Edinburgh. Similarly in Brunette=Princess 

 Frederica xB. javanicum and No. 158, in which cases the 

 species is the male parent. 



B. Brookcanum, var. gracile. — The very remarkable leaf of 

 this species, which is 8 inches long, obovate, and with very atte- 

 nuated base, is never reproduced ; the barest trace only being 

 observable in Crown Princess of Germany = Princess Royal x 12. 

 Brookcanum * 



B. multicolor. — This small and tapering leaf is readily 

 transmitted, as in No. 426, &c. = Queen of the Yellows 

 xB. multicolor, var. Curtisii. The general effect of this 

 species, whether used as the male or female parent, is to reduce 

 the size of the leaf of the other parent, and impart its tapering 

 ends, narrowing the blade at the same time. 



B. malayanum. — This species was crossed, as the male parent, 

 with Monarch (derived from Princess Alexandra), both parents 

 having tapering leaves, but those of the latter being large. This 

 form is retained in the offspring, Little Beauty and No. 29, which 

 have the same russet-brown scales of the male. 



* . This well illustrates the fact that a large-sized leaf is by no means 

 always correlated to prepotency. The same feature is true also for the corolla. 



