THE RHODODENDRONS OF SIKKIM-HIMALAYA. 
place seemed as if it would be aguish if it 
could, but was checked by the cold climate. 
R. barbatum had almost passed its flowering 
season ; it is a less abundant and smaller tree 
than the last mentioned, but more beautiful, 
with brighter green and denser foliage, clear 
papery light-coloured bark, the whole forming 
a more picturesque mass. 
" Along the north-east and exposed ridges 
only grow the R. Falconeri, in foliage incom- 
parably the finest." 
We shall now pass on to notice the new 
species of Rhododendron, which this portion 
of the Himalayas has afforded. Dr. Hooker 
found eleven kinds in the district which he 
explored, but of these, one was the R. barba- 
tum of Wallich, a species already known and 
introduced to England, and proved to be 
capable of bearing our ordinary winters in 
the climate, of Chester ; and another was the 
original R. arboreum of Smith, a kind so 
mixed up in our gardens with the various 
hybrid or cross-bred races to which it has 
given rise, as to be now seldom recognised. 
The remaining species were the following, of 
which the descriptive particulars are abbre- 
viated from Dr. Hooker's more detailed and 
ample account. 
Rhododendron Dalhousice, Hooker fil. 
(Lady Dalhousie's Rhododendron). — A shrub 
six to eight feet high, growing on the trunks 
of large trees. The branches bear leaves and 
flowers only at their extremities. The leaves 
are few, four to five inches long, elliptic-obo- 
vate, somewhat leathery, and of a darkish 
green colour, paler beneath. The flowers 
grow from three to seven, in terminal um- 
bellate heads, which spread wider than the 
leaves. The blossoms are bell-shaped, very 
large, three inches and a half to four and a 
half long, and as much across the mouth, 
white, with an occasional tinge of rose, very 
fragrant, the odour partaking of that of the 
lemon. The flowers in age become more 
roseate, and are sometimes spotted with orange. 
This is the noblest of the Rhododendrons. 
Native of Sikkim-Hiraalaya, at an elevation 
of from 7,000 to 9,000 feet ; growing on the 
trunks of large trees. Flowers from April 
to July. 
Rhododendron lancifolium, Hooker fil. 
(lance-leaved Rhododendron). — A shrub six 
to eight feet high, with spreading tortuous 
branches. The leaves are produced chiefly 
at the ends of the branches ; they are three 
to four inches long, oblong lance-shaped, very 
pointed, and of leathery texture, green above, 
tawny beneath. The flowers grown in dense 
heads at the ends of the branches ; they are 
of moderate size, bell-shaped, distinctly net- 
veined, and of a rich puce colour. Native of the 
interior : Sikkim-Himalaya. Flowers in May. 
Rhododendron Wallichii, Hooker fil. (Dr. 
Wallich's Rhododendron). — A shrub growing 
from eight to ten feet high, with rugged tor- 
tuous branches. The leaves are mostly con- 
fined to the apex of the ultimate branches ; 
they are three to four inches long, almost ex- 
actly elliptical, full green and glabrous above, 
paler beneath, and having a remarkably neat 
appearance. The flowers are large and hand- 
some, growing in terminal heads, having six 
to eight in each ; they are rosy lilac with 
deeper rose-coloured dots within the base of 
the upper lobe ; they are bell-shaped, with a 
spreading five-lobed limb. Native of the 
interior of Sikkim-Himalaya. Flowers ? 
Rhododendron Campbellice, Hooker fil. 
(Mrs. Campbell's Rhododendron). — A tree 
growing frequently to the height of forty feet, 
forming a large spreading mass. The leaves 
are oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, leathery, 
green and smooth on the upper surface, and 
clothed beneath with a more or less deeply 
rufous or ferrugineous tomentum. The 
flowers grow in dense compact heads, and are 
of a rich rosy-scarlet colour, spotted at the 
base of the upper lobe with dark spots, and 
around the bases of the remaining lobes with 
paler rosy spots. Native of Sikkim-Himalaya, 
frequent, growing at an elevation of from 
9,000 to 10,000 feet. Flowers in April and 
May. 
Rhododendron Royl'd, Hooker fil. (Dr. 
Royle's Rhododendron). — A small shrub with 
oval or elliptic leaves, three to four inches 
