224 WILSON EXPEDITION TO CHINA 
annui in axillis foliorum superiorum 2-4 aggregati, breviter pedunculati 
pedunculo crasso fasciculato-piloso; cupula fere hemisphaerica 5-6 mm. 
alta et 9-10 mm. diam., intus villosa, margine non fimbriata; bracteae 
adpressae, triangulari-ovatae, basi leviter tumidae, acutiusculae, apice 
brunnez glabrescentes, ceterum tomento cinereo-flavascente velutino 
obtectae; glans ovoidea, circiter 1.2 cm. alta, 1 em. diam., glabra, stig- 
matibus divaricatis coronata. 
Western Szech’uan: southeast of Tachien-lu, alt. 2000-2600 m., 
October 1910 (Nos. 4583, type 4281, seeds only). 
A well-marked species distinguished by its annual fructification from all Chinese 
Oaks with spinescent leaves except Q. semicarpifolia Smith. The latter has a more 
or less persistent felt of yellow-brown or gray-brown hairs on the under side of the 
leaves, a shallow saucer-shaped cup with fewer, triangular-lanceolate to lanceolate 
scales and is loosely fringed round the rim; the acorn is more or less globular. The 
cup of our new species somewhat resembles that of Q. Ilex Linnaeus, but is much 
smaller in every way. In arid parts of the Tung River valley and in those of its 
tributaries in western Szech’uan between 1300 and 2600 m. altitude this new Oak 
is very common and covers large areas in the form of scrub from 0.3 to 1 m. high. 
Under more favorable conditions and on the margins of woods it is a small tree 
with rather slender branches which form an oval or flattened, dense crown. It is 
named for the late Captain W. J. Gill, who in 1877 made an extended tour 
through western China. He was one of the first travellers to visit Tachien-lu and 
in his book (The River of Golden Sand) frequent references to the “‘Holly-leaved 
Oak" of western Szech’uan are made. 
Quercus spinosa David apud Franchet in Nouv. Arch. Mus. Paris, 
sér. 2, VII. 84 (Pl. David. Y. 274) (1884). 
brem foe Seemen in Bot. Jahrb. XXIII. Beibl. No. 57, 48 (1897); XXIX. 
1 ‘ 
Quercus ilicioides David apud Bretschneider, Hist. Europ. Bot. Discov. China, 
850 (nomen seminudum) (1898). 
Quercus Ilex, var. spinosa Franchet in Jour. de Bot. XIII. 152 (1899). — Skan 
in Jour. Linn. Soc. XXVI. 516 (1899). — Seemen in Bot. Jahrb. XXIX. 290 
(1900). — Koidzumi in Tokyo Bot. Mag. XXVI. 160 (1912). 
Quercus Ilex, var. bullata Franchet in Jour. de Bot. XIII. 152 (1899). — See- 
men in Bot. Jahrb. X XIX. 290 (1900). 
Quercus semicarpifolia, var. glabra Skan in Jour. Linn. Soc. XXVI. 520 (1899), 
quoad specimen e Mengtsze; an Franchet? ; 
Quercus semicarpifolia, var. spinosa Schottky in Bot. Jahrb. XLVII. 642 (1912). 
Western Hupeh: Hsing-shan Hsien, exposed cliffs, alt. 2000-2600 
m., July 1907 (No. 3643; bush or small tree, 2-8 m. tall); Changyang 
Hsien, woods and rocky places, alt. 1500-2200 m., July 1901 (Veitch 
Exped. No. 1493; tree 2-6 m. tall); without locality, A. Henry 
(Nos. 5981°, 59812, type of Q. bullata). Yunnan: Mengtsze, “ Ta- 
hei-shan,” summit, A. Henry (No. 10217; tree 6 m.). 
