Tab. 6923. 

 XANTHOCERAS soebifolta. 



Native of North China. 



Nat. Ord. S.apindace.e. — Sub-orJer Sapinde/E. 

 Uenas Xanthocekas, Bunge; (Benth. et Ilook.f. Gen. PI. vol. v. p. 408.) 



Xasthocebas sorbifolia ; frntex glaber, foliis deciduis alternis pinnatis, pinnis 

 multijugis lineari-oblongis laneeolatisve acutis inciso-serratis, floribus racemosis, 

 racemis axillaribus ranmlosque 'terminantibus multifloris albis roseo-pictis, 

 fructibus magnis globosis v. pyriformibus tar Je debiscentibus, pericarpio crasso, 

 seminibus globosis. 



X. sorbifolia, Bunge, Fnum. PI. Chin. Bar. p. 11 ; Hance in Journ. Bot. vol. viii. 

 (1870), p. 313; Franrhet, Plant. David, p. 75; Flore des Serres, ser. 2, 

 vol. viii. (1870), t. 1899; Rev. Sortie. 1872, p. 291, mimic; III. Rortic. 

 vol. xxiv. (1877), t. 295; Gard. Chron. X. S. vol. v. (1876), p. 567, fig. 101, 

 and vol. xxvi. (1886), p. 204, fig. 42. 



This is one of the most attractive and interesting hardy 

 garden shrubs that has been introduced for many years, 

 and though introduced nearly twent} r years ago, is rarely 

 seen except in the botanical establishments or the gardens 

 of those in search of novelties. It was discovered by the 

 now venerable Dr. Bunge, formerly Professor of Botany at 

 Dorpat, near Pekin, some sixty years ago, on the occasion 

 of his accompanying an overland mission to that capital 

 from St. Petersburg; but was not introduced till Father 

 David, the most laborious a ad successful of all explorers of 

 the Chinese Flora, sent seeds to the Jardin de Plantes at 

 Paris about twenty years ago. According to a statement 

 in the " Gardener's Chronicle," Father Davicl sent the plant 

 in 1868, and as it. flowered and was figured in the "Flore 

 des Serres" in 1872, it must have baen transmitted to 

 Paris in a living state. 



Xanthoceras sorbifolia is a beautiful free-flowering bush, 

 "with the habit of the Bladder-nut (Staphyfoa jpinnata), to 

 which it is allied. I am indebted to Mr. Lynch, of the 

 Cambridge Botanical Gardens, for the fine specimens here 

 figured, with flowers of both sexes, and where it blossomed 

 in May, 1886, the females appearing a few days after the 



MAECH 1st, 1887. 



