rous bractes, that are oblong or spathulate, concave inwards,
rounded at the points, membranaceous, deciduous ; between
those are other filiform ones. Peduncles cylindrical, thickly
clothed with hairs, and with a viscous substance, about the
length of, or a little longer than the bractes. Calyx short,
5-toothed, the teeth unequal, blunt. Corolla tubular, with
a 5-parted spreading limb : tube bluntly 5-angular, of a
deep orangy red, thickly clothed with short stiff hairs :
upper segment of the limb broadest, yellow, the others of
an orangy red, or red tinged with yellow. Stamens 5, fila ments
very long and slender, ascending, villosely hairy above
half-way up, the upper part smooth and glossy, attached to
the back of the anthers a little above the base. Ovarium 5-
angular, densely hairy. Style about the length of, or rather
longer than the stamens, hairy at the base, and smooth upwards,
pale red. Stigma a green head.
The whole of the above description is taken from the variety a specidsum,
and all the varieties have their different distinctions mentioned underneath
the specific character, in English; this, with a flower of each in the figure,
will readily distinguish them from each other.
W e received all those handsome varieties from the fine collection of
hybrid Azalea’s, and Rhododendrons, that have been raised from seed at
Highclere; the specimens were sent to n s the latter end of May, 1830,
by J. R . Gowen, Esq.; the seeds were raised by Lord Carnarvon’s gardener,
from Azalea viscosa 8 rubescens, fertilized by A . pontica, under
Mr. Gowen’s own inspection, who informs us that the gardener is very
clever at raising these seedlings, which have always been under Mr. Gowen’s
observation till the present tim e ; for the following account we are obliged
to him. “ There are also many of tho same age from A , coccinea by the
same male parent, and it is difficult to say which sport the most, and produce
the most brilliant colours. I am inclined to think that A . calendu-
lacea would be a better plant to supply pollen than A . pontica, being a
later llowerer, more disposed to sport, and more elegant in its habit, but its
progeny would not possess that delightful fragrance which belongs to the
crop from A . pontica^ and which is very fine in some of the varieties now
flowering here.’’
“ The crop between the magnificent Rhododendron arboreum and
R . cataivbiense, is quite hardy; hundreds of them have passed the Winter
here, in very exposed situations, without protection and without injury/'
“ 1 should observe, that when the foliage of the seedling follows closely
that of the male parent A . pontica^ the flowers also approximate to the
male type ; on the other hand, when the foliage follows the female, so do
i think there is about an equal proportion preserved in the
For the derivation of the generic and sectional name, see fol. 10. o f the
second series.
1 var. speciosum, 2 var, in ca rn a tum . 3 var. lu te um , 4 var, roseutn.
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