7 
Tas. 8459. 
OSMANTHUS Denavayt 
Pt 
China. 
Ovzaceax. Tribe OLEINEAE. 
Osmantuvs, Lour.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. ii. p. 677. 
Osmanthus Delavayi, Franch. in Bull. Soc. Linn, Paris, vol. i. p. 613; affinis 
O. suavt, King ex C. B. Clarke, a quo foliis parvis plerumque argute serratis, 
floribus longioribus omnibus, ut videtur, terminalibus distat. 
Frutex sempervirens, 2 mm. altus (ex Franchet), ramosus, cortice cinereo, 
ramulis hornotinis puberulis. Folia elliptica, utrinque acuta, vel 
obtusiuscula, margine argute serrata vel obsolete dentata’ (ex Franchet), 
circiter 1-5 cm. longa, 0-8-0°9 em. lata, coriacea, glabra, supra saturate 
viridia, subtus pallidiora, glandulis oleiferis nigro-punctata; petioli 2 mm, 
longi, superne minute puberuli. Florum fascieuli terminales perulis late 
obovatis vel rotundatis 2-4 mm, longis scuriosis ciliolatis suffulti; pedicelli 
puberuli, 2-5 mm. longi. Calyx tubuloso-campanulatus, paulo ultra 
medium 4-lobus, lobis rotundatis obtusis vel obtusissimis ciliatis. Corolla 
alba, glabra, odorata, tubo superne leviter ampliato 9-10 mm. longo, lobis 
obovato-ellipticis obtusis 4-5 mm. longis. Stamina medio tubo inserta, 
filamentis brevibus, antheris ovato-oblongis connectivo breviter apiculato, 
Uvarium ellipsoideum, stylo eo vix aequilongo, stigmate bilobo, Drupa 
(ex Franchet) ovato-subrotunda, nigro-caerulea,—O, SvTapr. 
The Osmanthus which is here figured is one of the most 
pleasing of new evergreen shrubs. It is named in honour 
of the late Abbé Delavay, by whom it was originally 
discovered in the mountains near Lankong, in Yunnan, 
at about 9500 feet above sea-level, and by whom it was 
introduced to cultivation through seeds sent to Mr. M. L. 
de Vilmorin. The species is now offered for sale by 
Messrs. Lemoine of Nancy and by Mr. Chanault of Orleans, 
The plant from which the material for our illustration has 
been derived is one purchased for the Kew Collection from 
Messrs. Lemoine which flowered in March, 1912. At Kew 
it thrives in a well-drained loamy soil and appears to be 
quite hardy. Besides being evergreen it has the advantage 
of being one of the earliest flowering of shrubs while its 
blossoms have a most delightful fragrance. In this respect 
it resembles its nearest aily, O. suavis, King, a native of 
Sikkim and Manipur, at elevations of 9000 feet or rather 
lower, which is, however, readily distinguished by its larger, 
more acute leaves and its somewhat smaller lateral as well 
Octongr, 1912. 
