LAURACEAE. 



Determined by J. S. Gamble.* 



From river-level up to an altitude of 1000 metres plants of this family are 

 among the most important constituents of the arborescent flora of western China, 

 and the evergreen species are a dominant feature. Especially is this true of the 

 vegetation of the western limits of the Red Basin of Szech'uan, of the Chengtu 

 Plain and of the regions round the base of Wa-shan and Omei-shan. In these 

 regions, up to an altitude of 1000 metres, fully fifty per cent of the broad-leaved 

 trees belong to the Lauraceae. In the glens and gorges of western Hupeh and 

 eastern Szech'uan shrubby members of this family abound. Above an altitude of 

 1000 metres plants of this family quickly become a relatively unimportant part 

 of the forests, although, in western Hupeh, the Chinese Sassafras is a very com- 

 mon tree between altitudes of 1200 and 2000 metres. E. H. W. 



CINNAMOMUM Blume. 



Cirmamomiun Wilsonii Gamble, n. sp. 



Arbor 6-16 m. alta, 0.3-1 m. diam. trunci; ramuli teretes, sicci- 

 tate purpureo-fusci. Folia coriacea, alterna v. subopposita; ovata 

 V. ovato-oblonga, apice acuminata acumine obtuso, basi attenuata 

 in petiolum decurrentia, aliquando subrotunda; supra nitida, laevia, 

 glabra, subtus glauca, juventute conspicue albo-sericea, tandem glabra, 

 margine cartilagineo reflexo, 8-18 cm. longa, 3-5 cm. lata; costae 

 prominentes, 3 ex ima basi ortae, ad 5-20 mm. conjimctae et ibi non 

 semper eodem loco divergenteS; additis aliquando 2 gracilibus juxta 

 margines, media in acimaen ipsum extensa, 2 laterales curvatae etiam 

 in acumen extensae sed infra acumen plus minus arcuatae et cum 

 paucis (2-3) costae mediae nervis junctae;' nervi costarum lateralium 

 extrorsum aliquando nulli, aliquando 3-10 curvati et cum costulis 

 marginalibus juncti; nervuli transversi multi, arcuati, tenues, infra 

 plus minus conspicui; petiolus 10-15 mm. longus, supra canaliculatus. 

 Flores aibi, in umbellis 2-5-floris v. in racemis paucifloris longe pedun- 

 culatis solis v. interdum fasciculatis in axillis foliorum seu ex inter- 

 nodiis foliorum; pedunculus gracilis, subfiliformis, 1-6 cm. longus, 

 glaber v. parce puberulus; pedicelli filiformes clavati, 6-20 mm. longi, 

 minutissime puberuli; alabastra globosa; perianthii tubus brevis; lobi 



1 With notes by E. H. Wilson. 



66 



