Bfiotiobentiron ^ocietp ^ote£i 
goes, but I see Mr. Bean describes it * “ up to 6 or 9 feet high.” Probably there 
is more than one type. The fxat habit and the deeply cordate, somewhat rounded 
leaves give the plant great character. The campanulate flowers, which are borne 
in a loose cluster, open deep rose. It seems to be a very difflcult plant to grow 
well and is scarce. 
R. OREODOXA. When I first saw this plant in bloom I was disappointed, 
and I did not consider it of garden value. I now willingly admit that when it is 
not absorbed by its surroundings it is well worth growing. The flowers open 
pink and rapidly fade to white. 
R. Rirei. The flowers have been described as white, but all the plants I 
have seen have had purple flowers with darker blotch. It opens early in March, 
and when in bloom is quite a striking plant. The foliage is not a good green, 
which, together with the early flowering, will probably prevent it becoming a 
popular plant. 
R. Souliei. In Cornwall this is a very difficult subject, and most of the plants 
I know in the W'^est have brown tips to their leaves. I have seen it ver}'^ good 
in other parts of England, and it should certainly be tried, as its glaucous leaf 
and rose flowers make it when in health a very lovely, plant. , 
R. SPiNULiFERUM. This is an unusual plant, the flowers certainly do not 
convey the popular idea of a rhododendron. They are in a cluster, not a truss, 
quite tubular, with protruding anthers. Colour red with a tinge of yellow. It 
seems hardier than was at first expected. 
RHODODENDRONS REMARKABLE FOR THEIR FOLIAGE. 
There will certainly be very many remarkable foliage plants among the 
Chinese species lately come to hand, but of the earher ones I would like to briefly 
mention the following, which are sure to be popular, owing to their great character 
of leaf. I have not seen any of them in flower. I refer to sinogrande, fulvum, 
HABROTRICHUM, ERIOGYNUM, GLISCHRUM. 
R. SINOGR.4NDE. This truly magnificent plant is thought by some experts 
to be the finest foliage plant that is hardy anj^where in Britain. I understand 
it has been killed by frost in the colder parts of England. The size of the leaf 
inevitably arrests attention, and the beautiful bronze colour as it unfolds, with its 
highly glabrous face at all seasons, insure it being a distinguished plant anjwvhere. 
Plants in the young stage, say four or five years, generally show the ma.ximum 
size of leaf, and at this age I have measured the actual leaf of sinogrande 
22 inches long. 
R. FULVUM has a large leaf with the most beautiful bright apricot felt of any 
plant I know. 
R. HABROTRICHUM is remarkable for the bright crimson bristles rather than 
hairs on the young growth, these are retained for a long while. 
R. GLISCHRUM and R. eriogynum are both remarkable for leaves which give 
a wonderful colour effect with a quality and finish which may be said to resemble 
velvet. In the case of glischrum this is due to the presence of w’^ell-defined 
hairs on the upper surface of the young leaf, and in eriogynum to a felty bloom. 
P. D. WILLIAMS. 
* Wilson in Plantae Wilsonianae, Vol. I., p. 540, gives the height of R. orbiculare 
as 1'5 to 4 metres high—say 6 to 13 feet. 
240 
