[Plate 43.] 



THE CEYLON RHODODENDRON 



(rhododendron rollissonii.) 



A Half-hardy Tree, from the Mountains of Ceylon, belonging to the Natural Order of 



Heathworts. 



Hbpenfu Character. 



THE CEYLON' RHODODENDRON.— A small tree. Leaves short, oblong, acute, obtuse, or even heart-shaped at the 

 base, wavy, very rugose and convex, revolute at the edge, covered beneath with close pale brown wool. Flowers 

 in small heads. Flower-stalks woolly. Calyx obsolete. Corolla campanulate, slightly spotted. Ovary many- 

 celled. 



Rhododendron Rollissonii : Botanical -Register, t. 25, 1843, alias R. zeylanicum of tlie Gardens. 



HE following notice of this plant appeared in the Gardener's Chronicle for March 9, 

 1850 :— 



" This is now in great beauty in the open .border, and proves to be a very fine thing, 

 far surpassing, in my opinion, the old Rhododendron arhoreum, or any of the numerous 

 hybrid varieties that have originated from it. The rugged corky bark, and rough, wrinkled 

 thick leaves, revolute at the margin, and clothed underneath with a somewhat rusty-coloured 

 pubescence, give a peculiar character to the plant, by which it may be easily recognised. 

 The head of flowers is round and compact, like that of R. arhoreum, but the colour is 

 much richer, being a deep blood-red, with a few dark spots at the bottom of the tube. 

 The plant we have under the name of R. Rollissonii I consider to be identical with 

 R. zeylanicum, although the former has not yet flowered with us. Both have been growing 

 for several years in the open air, and although considered as being rather tender, they have 

 been found sufficiently hardy to withstand 10 degrees of frost (the greatest cold experienced 

 here last winter) without injury." 



This letter was written by Mr. W. B. Booth, gardener to Sir Charles Lemon, Bart, M.P., 

 at Carclew, near Penrhyn, in Cornwall, whence the specirmns were received from which the 

 accompanying drawing was made. 



