maculatis, sta minibus 8-10, filamentis basi villosis, antheris majusculis, ovario brevi 5-lobo dense lepidoto, stylo crasso decurvo, capsolis
parvis.
H ab. Sikkim-Himalaya ; open rocky places, elev. 12-16,000 feet; most abundant. FI. June and July.
Undoubtedly the smallest species of this section, growing in widely extended clumps, much as heather does, but never
so extensively, emitting in sunshine a powerful resinous odour. Leaves fasciculated at the apices of the ramuli, generally
spreading in a rotate manner, pale yellowish-green, very copiously covered with lepidote squamulas, a quarter to half an
inch long. Pedicels an inch to an inch and a half long. Flowers large for the size of the plant, of the same form as
JR. salignmn and lepidotum, but much larger, varying from yellow (the usual colour) to deep red-purple, spotted faintly on
the three upper lobes. Stamens generally eight. Capsule very small, a quarter of an inch in length, twice as long as the
calyx, five-valved, five-celled. Seeds pale-coloured.
This and the P. lepidotum and salignum may prove extreme varieties of one species.
T ab. XXHi. Rhododendron clasagnoides. Kgs. 1 and 2. Plants:—natural size. 8. Stamen. 4. Peduncle, calyx, and ovarium. 5. Transverse
section of ovarium:—all magnified. 6. Fruit:—natural size.