Herbarium catalogue

peniasas 1yBuAdoo OL Rhododendron Sherriffii Cowan. Sp. nov. Species distinctissima aspectu Rh. fulgentis Hook. f. sed indumento molli (e pilis planatis radiatim ramosis dense conglomeratis composito) omnino diversa ; Rh. Thomsonii Hook. f. ejusque sociis etiam similis sed ob foliorum indumentum in seriem illam haud ponenda ; interim prope seriem Campanulatum allocata. Frutex 2-4 m. altus. Ramuli annui breves ad r cm. longi hornotini circ. 3 mm. diam. tomento sparso furfuraceo glandulisque clavatis Tubiginosis intermixtis obsiti, vetustiores cortice griseo decorticante tomenti vestigiis glandulisque verruculosis nigrescentibus notato obtecti. Alabastra ignota. Folia petiolata ad 7-5 cm. longa ; lamina subcoriacea oblongo-elliptica vel oblongo-ovalis, 4-5-6 cm. longa, 2-5-4 cm. lata, apice rotundata vel obtusa distincte mucronata, margine cartilaginea paullo recurva basi rotundata supra viridis maturitate glabra, costa media venisque primariis adscendentibus utrinsecus 7-10 vix sulcatis, subtus spadicea indumento mollissimo facile eraso e pilis complanatis inter se laxe commissis atque pilis radiatim ramosis (ramis turgide fusiformibus) intermixtis composito dense induta, costa media paullo elevata paginae apicem versus obscura, venis primariis omning opertis ; petiolus sanguineo-viridis ad 1-5 cm. longus glaber. Umbella terminalis 4~6-flora ; pedicelli glabri 1-2 cm. longi. Calyx ad 5 mm. longus atro-kermesinus extra glaber basi cupularis margine undulatus, lobis 5 subaequalibus sublunatis ad 5 mm. longis et latis. Corolla carnosula intense kermesina infundibuliformi-campanulata, circ. 4 cm. longa, tubo sursum in iimbum 5-lobatum expanso, lobis rotundatis circ. 6 mm. longis 1-5 cm. latis emarginatis subcrenulatis. Stamina 10, inaequalia corollae tubum vix aequantia filamentis deorsum dilatatis glabris, antheris parvis circ. 2 mm. longis. Gynaeceum circ. 4:3 cm. longum ; ovarium circ. 5 mm. longum, conoideum sulcatum ex toto glabrum ; stylus glaber sub stigmate parvo atro-purpureo lobato paullo expansus. Capsula glauco-nigrescens recta circ. 1-3 cm. longa, 7 mm. lata, basi calyce adpresso inclusa. “ SOUTHERN T1IBET.—Chayul Chu, Lung. Alt. 12,500 ft. In Rhodo- dendron forest above the Bamboo zone. Tree 15-20 ft. Corolla fleshy ; a most beautiful rich. deep carmine, small deep magenta patches at the base of each petal ; calyx carmine ; filaments basal half deep rose, turning to white ; anthers deep crimson ; style carmine ; stigma deep carmine. 29th April 1936.”" Ludlow and Sherriff, No. 1390. Type in Herb. Brit. Mus. “SOUTHERN TipeT.—Chayul Chu, Lung. Alt. 11,500 ft. In the Rhododendron zone, near the edge of the Fir and Larch zone, on steep hillsides. Tree or shrub 6-12 ft. Flowers over. Seed collected. 23rd October 1936.” Ludlow and Sherriff, No. 2751. I have named this fine species afte deep crimson - flowers are remarkab material, and besides, the calyx is cri t Captain Sherriff. The beautiful le even in the dried herbarium mson, with a fine glaucous bloom, Seed was obtained and has been distributed. This is a plant note- worthy not only for beauty of flower but also for unusual botanical characteristics. So distinctive is it that it does not fit well into any recognised series and should perhaps be placed alone in a new series. The indumentum on the underside of the leaf is quite distinc- tive, unlike that of any other known species ; it is soft and easily removed, composed of closely packed flattened hairs, mixed with stell- ately branched hairs, the latter somewhat like those which are so characteristic of Rh. Traillianum, and yet the indumentum is by no means a typical “‘ Lacteum Series indumentum.” If no thick indumen- tum were present on the leaf, the shape would suggest that Rh. Sherriffit might well be placed in the Thomsonii Series. For the present, Rh. Sherriffii is perhaps best placed in the variable Campanulatum Series, near Kh. fulgens, which has a glabrous ovary, thick indumentum, and dark carmine flowers. ISOTYPE of Rhe dn ron ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN EDINBURGH | E00327156

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