M I
17.
RHODODENDRON LANATUM,
Woolly Rhododendron.
T a b . XVI.
A rb u scu la ramosa, cortice rugoso, ramis to rtis , ramulis petiolis pedunculis foliisque subter lana molli subappressa albida vel fulva dense tectis,
foliis elliptico-obovatis oblongisve coriaceis brevi-petiolatis apice rotundatis apieulatis basi acutis supra (costa basjnque versus lan atis
exceptìs) glabratis subter lana molli appressa sordide albis v . fulvis, corymbo terminali capitato pluiifloro, calyce minuto 5-lobo,
corolla ochroleuc® tubo lato-campanulato intus superne rubro irrorato, limbi lo b is 5 rotundatis patentibus integerrimis, staminibus
inclusis, filamentis basi lanatis, ovario tomentoso 5-loculari, capsula cylindracea curvata obtusa ferrugineo-floccosa.
Hab. Sikkim-Himalaya ; on the rocky spurs of the humid mountains and gullies ; elev. 10-12,000 feet, most common at Jongri and Chola.
FI. June ; fr. November.
A large shrub or small tree, with the trunk six inches in diameter in the stoutest part, irregularly and repeatedly
branching; branches much gnarled and bare of leaves, covered with a dark-coloured rugged bark, very different from the
prevailing beautiful papery clothing of the genus: where it breaks off from the younger branches, however, it exposes a
delicate pink liber as shown in our figure, whilst the ultimate ramuli are densely clothed with a soft appressed cottony
tomentvm. The latter, generally of a white or tawny colour, is uniformly spread over the petioles, peduncles, ovarium, and
the whole under surface of the leaf, also extending to the upper surface of the latter, along the costa, and to the very base
in a less degree. These leaves are confined to the apices of the branches, three and a half to five inches long by about two
inches broad, obovate or elliptical, obtuse, with a short mucro, the base rather acute, or at most obtuse (not cordate),
the colour a full yellowish-green. Petioles short, thick, very woolly. Corymbs terminal, of several, 6-10, rather large,
inclined flowers. Peduncles an inch and a half long, thickened. Calyx small, reduced to five very minute blunt teeth at
the top of the peduncle. Corolla ochroleucous or pale sulphur-colour: the tube broad-campanulate (like that of R . Wiyhtii)
within, above, and three of the upper lobes in part sprinkled with red dots; limb two inches to two and a half across, of
five nearly equal, very spreading, rounded, entire obtuse lobes. Stamens ten, included: filaments slender, slightly curved,
downy at the base j anthers dark brown. Ovary oblong-oval, farrowed, thickly woolly, five-celled. Capsules more than
an inch long, cylindrical, curved, woolly, obtuse.
In the dense tomentum on the underside of the leaves, this species maybe compared with R.fulyens and R. eeruginosum
among the large shrubby kinds, and with R. Edgeworthii and R.pendulum among others.
Tab. XVI. Rhododendron lanatmm. Pig. 1. Stamen. 2. Pistil. 3. Transverse section of ovary ■.—magnified. 4. Capsule -.-^latwal size.