tt 



284 WILSON EXPEDITION TO CHINA 



Chekiang: without precise locality, E.Faher (No. 1714). Kiangsi: 

 Kuling, thickets, not common, alt. 1300 m., July 28, 1907 (No. i668; 

 bush 2-3 m. tall). Western Hupeh: north and south of Ichang, 

 alt. 1000-1600 m., May 27 and November 1907 (No. 451, type; bush 

 1-4 m. tall, flowers white, tinged pink) ; Hsing-shan Hsien, thickets, alt. 

 1300-2000 m., May 1907 (No. 2982; bush 3 m. tall, flowers white); 

 Fang Hsien, woodlands, alt. 1300-2000 m., May 11, 1907 (No. 

 2983; bush, not much branched, 2-3 m. tall, flowers like Apple 

 blossoms); Changyang Hsien, thickets, alt. 1300-1600 m., May 1907 

 (No. 2981, bush 3 m. tall, flowers white); Patung Hsien, October 

 1900 (Yeitch Exped. Seed Nos. 766% 839); without precise locality, 

 May and September 1900 (Veitch Exped. Nos. 749, 749^); without 

 precise locality, A. Henry (No. 6509). Western Szech'uan: Wa- 

 shan, woodlands, alt. 1600-2000 m., October 1908 (No. 1129; bush 

 7 m. tall, fruit red). Shensi : Yenan Fu, 1910, W. Purdom (No. 329); 



Po-uo-li," July 25-30, 1897, G. Giraldi. Assam: Khasia, alt. 

 6000 ft., Hooker f, & Thomson; Khasia Hills, April 4, 1894, G. A. 

 Gammie (Herb. Hort. Bot. Calcutt, No. 312). 



This handsome species is closely related to M. haccata Desfontainea which difTera 

 chiefly in the thinner less closely and less sharply serrate leaves, green when un- 

 folding, in the pure white flowers with 5 styles and lanceolate acuminate calyx-lobes 

 exceeding the tube. It is apparently still nearer to M. Halliana Koehne which is 

 distinguished by smaller and narrower more coriaceous crenately serrulate leaves 

 on shorter petioles, by the slenderer pedicels, often obtusish calyx-lobes, flowers 

 with usually 4 styles and by the smaller fruits about 6-8 mm. in diameter and 

 abruptly contracted at the base into the thickened pedicel. In drying. the leaves 

 and particularly the younger leaves assume a rather dark color like those of M. 

 Halliana, while those of M. haccata usually keep their bright green color. 



Malus theifera is very widely distributed in the mountainous regions of China 

 at elevations of from 1000-2000 m. It ranges from Chekiang through Kiangsi and 

 Hupeh, where it is abundant, into Shensi and western Szech'uan and through 

 Yunnan south to the Khasia Hills, Assam. It varies considerably in the shape 

 and size of the leaves, in the pubescence of the calyx which is either glabrous or 

 more or less woolly as in Wilson's No. 2981 and in the Veitch Exped. No. 749, but 

 in their essential characters the specimens all agree. 



In the Arnold Arboretum this species has proved quite hardy; it forms a small 

 tree with stiff spreading branches, and is very beautiful in spring when covered 

 with light pink flowers, and resembles at this time a flowering Cherry rather than 

 an Apple tree; the effect of the flowers is heightened by the purple calyx and the 

 purplish tints of the unfolding leaves. The fruits of the cultivated tree are light 

 greenish yellow partly with a slightly reddish cheek and do not ripen until the end 

 of October shortly before those of M. Halliana. 



Malus theifera, f. rosea Rehderj n. f. 

 A typo floribus roseis recedit. 



