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RHODODENDRON CAUCASICUM AND HYBRIDS. 
Contributed by Sir Edmund Loder, Bart. 
The earliest figure I can find of Rhododendron caucasicum is in PaUas’ 
“ Flora Rossica,” published in 1784. The coloured plate shows pale lilac 
flowers, but the description says “ alba vel subrubens.” 
Pallas also gives a coloured plate of Rhododendron chrysanthum, which I 
take to be a near relation of Rhododendron caucasicum. Rhododendron 
Przwalski must also be nearly related. 
Another early coloured plate of Rhododendron caucasicum was published 
in the ” Botanical Magazine,” about the beginning of the last century. Plate 
1145. Here the corolla is shown white, v^ithin tinged with rose on the outside 
surface. 
Some years later, in 1835, there was published in the “ Botanical Magazine,” 
a coloured plate. No. 3422, of Rhododendron caucasicum var. stramineum 
showing a straw-coloured flower. It is like the form figured as Rhododendron 
caucasicum, in Maund ‘‘ Botanic Garden,” No. 947. 
I do not know who was the first to make crosses with Rhododendron 
caucasicum and other species, but Mr. Peter Veitch, of Exeter, teUs me that he 
has an old Nursery List Book of his grandfather’s time, and he finds under 
No. 157, Rhododendron caucasicum hybrid=Rh. ochroleucum. There is 
unfortunately no record of the other parent. 
There is also mentioned Rhododendron caucasicum Ramsaj^anum. 
In this old list book there is much evidence of hybrid work wnth Rhododendron 
caucasicum, but the notes are not there which would show parentage. 
A man named Abbey has raised hybrids of Rhododendron caucasicum and 
Rhododendron Aucklandi, and Mr. Peter Veitch has bought this stock. So far 
he has only distributed one of these hybrids, viz. “ Dr. Stocker.” 
In Vol. X., No. 1038 (1855), ” Flore de Serres,” there is coloured plate of 
a very beautiful Rhododendron under the name of Rh. rosalba (Rhododendron 
caucasicum-venustum), but no details of its parentage are given. It is possible 
that this is the source of the well-knowm Rh. venustum, which is probably 
identical with Rh. Jacksoni (Rh. caucasicum X Rh. arboreum). The other 
equally weU-known hybrid, Rh. Nobleanum, being Rh. arboreum x Rh. 
caucasicum. 
Among the earlier hybrids is Rh. govenianum, which is a cross between 
Azalea nudiflora and a hybrid between Rh. ponticum and Rh. caucasicum. 
Some years ago I bought in Edinburgh, a quantity of hybrids of 
Rhododendron caucasicum. “ Rh. Stanwellianum ”=Rh. caucasicum X Rh. 
catawbiense. ” Rh. Stanwellianum robustum ” = Rh. caucasicum x Rh. 
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