38 
FLORA AND SYLVA 
R. racemosum. — A dwarf-growing shrub 
from Yunnan, with small, white, pink-edged 
flowers about an inch across. A very free- 
flowering and attractive little plant. 
R. Thompsoni. — Bears loose trusses of widely- 
spread deep crimson flowers 3 inches across, 
and leaves about 4 inches long and grey under- 
neath. There is a bush 14 feet high and more 
in diameter at Tremough, where there are 
also many fine varieties of the same species. 
R. trijiorum. — This, although its flowers are 
of a deeper yellow than those of R. campy- 
locarpum, cannot compare with it in beauty, 
its flowers and trusses being small and often 
scanty. Its foliage is not unlike that of R. 
cinnabarinum. 
Since the introduction of the 
Himalayan Rhododendrons 
much has been done in the raising of 
hybrids and, although these efforts are 
not always successful, a number of fine 
plants have been raised. Among other 
raisers of new forms in the south-west 
thelateMr.Luscombe ofCoombeRoyal, 
near Salcombe, obtained several charm- 
ing varieties. The late Mr. Shilson was 
also interested in this work, which has 
now for many years been carried on with 
much success by Mr. R. Gill, head- 
gardener at Tremough. Some of the 
finest hybrids I have seen are : — 
R, Ascot Brilliant. — A hybrid of R. Thomp- 
soni^ bearing rich scarlet flowers with widely 
expanded mouths. One of the brightest of all 
Rhododendrons. 
R. Beauty oj Tremough. — Raised by Mr. R. 
Gill. It is one of the best hybrids of R. 
Griffithianum and a cross between that kind 
and R. Thompsoni. Its flowers are of deep rose 
tint and about 4^ inches across. At the Truro 
Spring Show in 1902 it was awarded the first- 
class certificate of the Royal Horticultural 
Society. 
R. Duke of Cornwall. — A cross between 
R. arboreum and R. barbatum also raised by 
Mr. Gill, and bearing rose-crimson flowers 
about 4 inches across. At the Truro Show 
of 1904 this obtained the first-class certifi- 
cate of the R.H.S., though the flowers that 
gained the award were considerably smaller 
than those on earlier trusses which had faded 
at the time of the show. 
R. Francis Thistleton Dyer. — Raised by 
Mr. Luscombe from R. Fortunei and a garden 
hybrid; bears large trusses of pink flowers 
with blotches in the throat. 
R. Gauntletti. — A cross between R. Griffith- 
ianum and R. ponticum^ but showing no trace 
of the latter parent. The flowers are pale pink 
changing to almost white, and nearly 5 inches 
across. Fourteen blossoms have been borne 
on a single truss. A fine variety. 
R. Harrisi. — A cross between Rs. Fortunei 
and arboreum, with handsome foliage more 
pointed than that of R. Thompsoni, though 
the crimson flowers resemble that kind. It 
was raised by Mr. Harris in South Wales and 
bears his name. Mr. R. Gill also raised this 
variety and sent it to Kew shortly after it had 
been named. 
R. Kewense. — A hybrid between i?. Griffith- 
ianum and R. Hookeri, bearing, usually, pale 
rose flowers turning to white, though individ- 
ual specimens produce bright rose blossoms. 
R. Luscombei. — Raised by Mr. Luscombe 
from R. Fortunei and R. Tho?npsoni. The flowers 
are clear rose with reddish-brown spots on the 
I upper petals, 3 inches across, and carried in 
loose trusses. In R. Luscombei splendens the 
blossoms are deeper in hue. 
! R. Mangle si. — Raised by the late Mr. 
Mangles. It bears tapering trusses of large 
white flowers suffused with pink and heavily 
spotted about 4 inches across. It is a good 
grower and free flowerer. There is a fine 
example at Penrose. It is a cross between 
R. Griffithianum and a garden hybrid named 
album elegans. 
R. Mrs. Henry Shilson. — A plant of unknown 
parentage, raised at Tremough. It bears large 
trusses of soft-pink, bell-shaped flowers of great 
size. 
R. nobleanum. — A very old hybrid, raised 
at the Knap Hill Nursery over seventy years 
ago from R. arboreum and R. caucasicum. It 
bears close trusses of deep rose-red flowers. It is 
well-known throughout the south-west and is 
the first of all the Rhododendrons to flower. 
