here figured. This Chinese species, when first sent to 
Europe by Mr. A. Henry, who discovered it at Hingshan in 
Hupeh, was identified from his specimens with the Japanese 
plant. They are indeed closely allied, but now that living 
plants are known it is evident that they are very distinct. 
The introduction of D. caerulea to cultivation we owe to 
Mr. E. H. Wilson, who rediscovered the plant at Nant‘o in 
Hupeh, where it grows in wet places on cliffs, when collect- 
ing on behalf of Professor Sargent of the Arnold Arboretum. 
From some of the seeds then obtained plants were raised by 
Mr. H. J. Elwes in his garden at Colesborne, Cheltenham, 
where the species flowered for the first time in this country 
in Ancust, 1909. One of the Colesborne plants, presented 
by Mr. Elwes to Mr. Dimsdale, of Ravenshill, Lechlade, 
flowered there in May, 1910, and provided the material 
from which our figure has been made. Material from 
another and much more robust plant, which flowered at 
Colesborne in August, 1910, was subsequently communicated 
by Mr. Elwes, who informs us the plant evidently prefers a 
very shady and moist situation, specimens put out under a 
north wall growing much more vigorously than those kept 
in pots. At Colesborne it has all the appearance of being 
a hardy plant. Mr. Elwes has directed our attention to the 
fashion in which the corolla separates from the receptacle 
when the flower is only two or three days old. In a note 
on the specimens obtained by him at Nant’o Mr. Wilson 
states that the flowers are white to purple; apparently only 
blue flowers have as yet been produced in cultivated plants. 
In the Japanese D. bisida, the petals appear always to be 
creamy-white or pure white with yellow stamens. 
Descriprion.— Her), perennial, 1-13 ft. high. Rootstock 
stout, horizontal, nodose, with many fibrous roots, Stem 
solitary, rising from the tip of the rootstock, with opposite 
or nearly opposite pairs of scarious, oblong, blunt bracts, 
4 In. long, at the base and at the nodes, Leaves generally 4, 
clustered at the top of the stem; blade ovate or wide 
elliptic, 2-fid at the tip, at least in the larger leaves, 
rounded or cuneate at the base, coarsely, sharply toothed, 
vad oe = long, 24-6 in. wide, the lobes when present about 
in. long, membranous, sparingly adpressed strigose above 
with simple hairs, beneath elabrous except: for a few hairs 
