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variety has fragrant flowers, anil, according to Sir W. J. Hooker is
“ amply worthy of a place in every garden and shrubbery."
RcadUy known from R. pónticum and R. oatawbiénse by the rusty under
surface ot the leaves, ancl the coinparafively pale green o f the entire plant It
neitlier grows nor flowers so freely in British gardens - i_j a--s- —the— other s.«pI*eI,c.,i.Ve,s,«..
i 3. R. (m.) purpu'keum G. Don. The purpIe-/OToiTCif Rhododendron,
07' American Rose Bay,
Identification. Don’s Mill., 3. p. 843.
7? roQviivsiiY-...
c S '" " ” ’' fr" ^‘0 '• fl- ‘‘»fr' ”'»■■0.
Engraving. O u r /^ . 2096. in p. 1108.
Spec. Char., Í-C. Leaves large, oblong-elliptic, flattish, acute, bluntish at the
base, green, and glabrous on both surfaces. Segments of corolla oblon«
ami obtuse. Calycine segments obtuse. This shmb approaches near tS
R. [Kinticum ; but it differs in its foliaceous calyx, and otherwise It
/o w s to an immense size; its stem being often found 18 in. and more in
ffi/ie te r ; and its foliage triple the size of that of any other species. (Don's
MilL) A large evergreen shrub, or low tree. Virginia and Carolina, on
the lugbest mountains, near lakes. Height 25 f t.; in England seldom seen
otherwise than as a shrub. Introduced?. Flowers large, pumle: Mav
and June. Rare in British gardens.
» 4. R. P u 'rsh /7 G. Don. Pursh's Rhododendron, or American Rose Bay.
Ideixiification. Don’s Mill,, 3. p. 843.
Synonyme. R. máximum fi álbum Pursh Fl. Amer. Sent. 1. p. 297.
Engiavmg. Ourfig. 1105. from a specimen in Dr. Lindley’s herbarium.
Spec. Char., S/c. Arborescent.
Leaves cuneate-lanceolate,
flat, glabrous, tapering gradually
to the base, paler
beneath. Calycine segments
oval, obtuse. Sen-
ment» of corolla roundish
oblong. Flowers white, and
smaller than those of R.
máximum. {Don’s Mill ) An
evergreen shrub. New Jersey
and Delaware, in shady cedar
swamps. Height 6 ft. to 8 ft.
1106. rt.Púrsh». Introduced in 181!, but not
, . common in collections. Flowers
white ; June to August. The latest of all the rhododendrons in British
gardens. Horticultural Society’s Garden.
H. 5. R. c a t a w k i e ' n s e Michx. The
Catawba Rhododendron.
Identification. Michx. Fl. Bor. Amer., I. p. 258. •
Don’s Mil!., 3. p. 843.
Engravings. Bot. Mag., t. 1671.; Bot. Cab., t.
Ü76. J and our fig. 1106.
Spec. Char., 4c. Leaves short-oval,
rounded, and obtuse at both ends,
glabrous, of a different colour beneath.
Calycine segments elongated
oblong. Flowers purple, disposed
in umbellate corymb.s. {Dori.s Mili.) ,
A large evergreen shrub. Vii^inia ¿
and Carolina, particnlarly near the
head waters of the Catawba River.
Height 4 ft. Introd. in 1809 and
1106. S. catawhiénse.
now one o f the most common species, anti the hardiest, in gardens. Flowers
rosy lilac ; June to August. Capsule brown ; ripe in September.
Varieties
tt R. c. 2 i 2M5seZZiànum Brit, Fl.-Gard. 2d ser. t. 91. — Leaves oblong
finely tomentose beneath. Corymbs many-flowered. Flowers of a
bright rosy red, approaching to crimson. A hybrid raised from the
seed of R. catawbiense, impregnated by the pollen of R. arboreum,
by Mr. Russell of Battersea. A very splendid variety, but somewhat
tender.
tt R. c. 3 H o rt.— Avariety with a corolla much resembling that
of R. c. UrnseiMánum, but with obvious spots on the inside.
It is of more robust growth than either R. pónticum or R. máximum, but,
in other respects, seems intermediate between them. There are many hybrids
in cultivation between it and the former species, though without names.
tt. 6. R. c h r y s a ' n t i i u m L. The go\den-JÍowcred Rhododendron,
Identification. Lin. Syst., 405., Suppl., 237. ; Don’s Mill., 3. p. 843.
Sunonime. 2Í. officinale p. U l. t. o4.
Engravings. Salisb. Far. Lond,, t. 8 0 .; and o u r /g . 1107-
Smc Char., 4c. Leaves acutisli, attenuated at the base, / lo n g , glabrous,
reticulately veined, and of a rusty colour benemh. ffiowers and tad s
clothed with rusty tomentum. Pedicels hairy. Calyx hardly any. segments
of the corolla rounded. Ovarium tomentose.
Branches decumbent, beset with rusty stipule-formed
scales. Flowers handsome, large, drooping, revolute,
rather irregular, yellow. Stigma 54obed. (Don’s Mill.)
A low evergreen nndershrub. Siberia, on the 'highest
mountains ; and Caucasus and Kamtschatka. Height
6 in. CO 1ft. Introduced in 1796, but not common
in collections, being very difficult to keep. Flowers
yellow ; June and July.
It requires to be grown in rather moist peat, kept firm, in an open
airy situation.
SL 7. R. c a u c a 's i c u m Pall. The Caucasian Rhododendron.
Jientijkalion. Pall. F l. Ross., 1. p. 40. t. 30.; Don’s Mill., 3. p. 844.
Engravings. Bot. Mag., t. 1145. ; and o u r * . 1108.
Spec. Char., 4c. Leaves ovate-oblong, clothed with
rusty tomentum beneath, rugged and green above.
Peduncles hairy. Bracteas elongated, tomentose.
Ovarium downy. Root creeping. Branches procumbent.
Flowers purple or white, disposed in
umbellate corymbs. Corollas rotate, with wavy
rounded segments. {Doris Mill.) A compact evergreen
shrub. Caucasus, on high rocks, near the
limits of perpetual snow. Height 1 ft. Introduced
in 1803, but rare in collections. Flowers white
or purple; August. nos. a .cacLicum.
Varieties. The following hybrids are among the handsomest rhododendrons
in cultivation ; —
a. R. c. 2 stramineum Hook. Bot. Mag. t. 3422. — Corollas straw-coloured.
A plant of this variety in the Glasgow Botanic Garden, in
April, 1835, was 2 ft. high, and 3 ft. in diameter, with the extremities
of its fine leafy branches terminated with clusters of large, beautiful,
straw-coloured flowers. The climate of Scotland seems to suit this,
and some of the other species found in the coldest parts of the
Russian empire, better than that of the South of England,
a. R. c. 3 pulehérrvnum Lindl. Bot. Reg. t. 1820. f. 2 .— A hybrid ob