tirije i^ljo^Jobenbron ^ocictp ^otesl 
with glabrous filaments and the 9-12-chambered ovary coated with a tomentum 
of short-stemmed fasciate hairs with much interlocking branches, the curved 
capsule some 4 cm. long and barely 1 cm. in diameter of the narrower type in 
the series like that of R. coriaceum, are an assemblage of sharply differentiating 
characters which prevent confusion of this with any other species. R. Hodgsoni 
finds its nearest allies in the Chinese R. coriaceum and R. Rex, and in R. regale. 
In cultivation there are under the name many forms undoubtedly nearer 
to R. Hodgsoni than to any other species but which are not typical of it. They 
want investigation. To what extent some of them are artificial hybrids, I do 
not know, but they cannot all be of this origin. We have at Edinburgh several 
of them which came out of the same packet of Calcutta seed. It may be suggested 
that they are natural hybrids. Perhaps, but only investigation wiU decide. 
We may recall here Lacaita’s ^•emarks about his R. decipiens. Lacaita’s 
reference to another plant bearing flowers “ crimson in the bud,” growing 
amongst R. Hodgsoni and R. decipiens, is interesting as telling us how easy 
it must be for variant forms to be imported in one packet of seed. He gives 
few other characters by which to recognise this particular form, yet I think his 
plant is in cultivation here. From my present knowledge I am disposed to 
say that plants in cultivation with underleaf cinnamon-brown tomentum cannot 
be typical R. Hodgsoni. The right tint is indicated in Hooker’s drawing. 
There is a field of interesting study in these plants known as R. Hodgsoni. 
The long period that elapses between sowing and flowering—^plants from seed 
sown over thirty years ago are only now beginning to flower here—is a handicap 
upon observations on cultivated plants, but if made they would add to the 
knowledge which it may be hoped will some day be derived from study of the 
plants in their wild state. 
Rhododendron megaphyllum, Balf. f. et Forrest 
Forrest discovered this species in June, 1918, in Rhododendron forest on 
the Shweli-Salween divide at an elevation of 11,000 feet. It was in full flower, 
and he describes it as a shrub of 10-30 feet in height, bearing yellow flowers with 
a faint blush of rose or a crimson tint at base. Seed was obtained later in the 
same year. In our specimens it is a smaller-leaved plant than others of the 
series. This is a distinguishing mark from its nearest ally R. basilicum. The 
leaves about 18 cm. long and 12 cm. broad hardly wrinkled above have the 
characteristic rusty to cinnamon-coloured indumentum persistent on the under 
surface, the cup-hairs of the upper stratum with a bell-shaped base and 
walls of isodiametric cells, the cup-margin prolonged into a few minute lobes 
but not really fringed. The flower-truss is large with some 20 flowers. The 
corolla, medium-sized, about 4.5 cm. long, is unspotted and has 8 lobes. There 
are 16 stamens with glabrous filaments and a 10-11-chambered ovary densety 
covered with long fasciate hairs. The capsule is slightly curved barely 2 cm. 
long and 5 mm. in diameter. 
It resembles R. arizelum and R. basilicum more closely than other species 
in the series, but the cup-hairs of the underleaf indumentum separate tliem both, 
and then R. arizelum has puberulous stamens and different ovary hairs whilst 
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