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4 
Tas. 5169. 
SPIRASA NosBLEANA, 
Mr. Noble’s Spirea. 
Nat. Ord. Rosace#.—Icosanpria Di-PENTAGYNIA. 
Gen. Char. (Vide supra, Tas. 4795.) 
Sprrma Nobleana; frutex erectus, ramis cano-puberulis, foliis lineari-oblongis 
oblongo-lanceolatisve acutis grosse subduplicato-serratis supra glabris sub- 
tus dense pubescentibus, paniculis brevibus densifloris pedicellis calycibusque 
tomentosis, calycis lobis patentibus tubo intus glabro, disco glandulis in- 
structo, ovariis glabris. 
In the summer of 1859, Mr. Chas. Noble sent us numerous 
fine specimens of three Spireas, S. callosa, 8. Douglasii, and 
the present, with the following remarks :—‘ The third must, I 
believe, be a hybrid between the two above named: the history 
of it is this. I had callosa and Douglasii growing side by side. 
I raised young plants from the seed of S Douglasir, supposing 
them to be true; but their growth and flower appear to be ex- 
actly intermediate between the two; and what appears remark- 
able is, that the whole of the bed, containing several hundreds, 
are quite the same.” A careful examination of the specimens 
seemed in many respects to confirm Mr. Noble’s view, the sup- 
posed hybrid having the leaves precisely intermediate, approach- 
ing Douglasii in shape and pubescence, but cad/osa in toothing 
and green under-surface ; the inflorescence is intermediate be- 
tween the long thyrsus of Douglasit and broad cyme of callosa. 
The calyx has the patent lobes of cadlosa and glabrous tube 
inside of Douglasii ; and the flowers have the evident ring of 
glands of callosa, but the colour and stamens of Dowglasit. 
On referring to our herbarium, however, we find the wild speci- 
mens from William Lobb of the supposed hybrid from the moun- 
tains of California, where S. ca//osa (a native of Japan) has never 
been found; and what is more remarkable, the specimens bear 
the same number (391) as Lobb has attached to 8S. Douglasi. 
The question hence arises, may not the seeds of both have 
arrived in one packet, and been sown, and their differences not 
MARCH Isr, 1860. 
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