Tazs. 7089. 
STYRAX OBASSIA. 
Native of Japan and Corea. 
Nat. Ord. Sryracez. 
Genus Styrax, Linn. ; (Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Pl. vol. ii. p- 669.) 
Strrax Obassia; frutex v. arbuscula, ramulis foliisque subtus tomentellis, foliis 
breviter petiolatis aliis oblongo-rotundatis obtusis integerrimis v. obscure 
denticulatis aliis multo majoribus orbicularibus supra medium grosse sinuato- 
dentatis, racemis terminalibus multifloris simplicibus, floribus pendulis, 
calycis tubo subcampanulato inzqualiter 5-dentato, petalis oblongis obtusis 
imbricatis, staminibus glabris, antheris filamento zquilongis, capsula obovoidea 
crustacea tomentella. 
S. Obassia, Sieb. & Zucc. Fl. Japon. vol. i. p. 93, t. 46, A. DC. Prodr. vol. viii. 
p_260; Franch. & Savat. Enum, Pl. Jap. vol. i. p. 309; Miguel Prolus. 
Fl. Jap. p. 265; Gard. Chron. 1888, ii. p. 131, f. 12; Journ. of Horticul- 
ture, 1888, p. 513, f. 73. 
One of the most attractive of the many hardy shrubs 
introduced within late years from Japan, where it is a 
native of the southern mountains of Kiusiu and Sikok. 
It has also been detected in Corea by Wilford, when collect- 
ing for the Royal Gardens of Kew in 1859. Siebold, who 
discovered it in Japan, attributes to it no other property 
but its scent of Hyacinths, he gives it the native name of 
“ Obassia,’ which is rendered ‘ Owo batsya” by Franchet 
and Savatier in their enumeration of Japan plants. 
The difference in size and form of the leaves is re- 
markable, the larger attaining ten inches in diameter, and 
occurring sometimes at the apex of the branches, at others 
alternately with the smaller. The petiole presents the 
remarkable character of sheathing the leaf-buds, as in 
Liriodendron, Platanus and other widely separated genera 
of plants. 
The specimen figured is one exhibited by Messrs. Veitch 
at a fortnightly meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society 
in June, 1888, and kindly communicated for figuring in 
this work. The racemes which are represented in the 
Gardener’s Chronicle as erect with suberect flowers is in 
Fepruary lst, 1889. 
