THE CHINESE RICE-PAPER PLANT. 53 
Formosa, according to the Canton pronunciation, or Chuh-tseen-fun in 
Chang-hwa in the Mandarin dialect.” 
We have further been favoured with a sight of the specimens of the - 
stem and leaves* above alluded to, as brought from Formosa by the 
first messenger sent by Mrs. Layton; and these differ in no respect 
from our plant, except that the leaves are more carefully preserved, and 
that the stem is three feet two inches long, and not an entire stem 
(possibly a branch), filled from beginning to end with the beautifully 
white medullary substance, from which the rice-paper is cut, and 
which occupies a very much larger portion than the pith of our common 
Elder does. 
The principal of our figures (Tab. I. IT.) is copied from the drawing, 
before alluded to, in the possession of John Reeves, Esq., of Clapham, 
(verified by our own dry specimens) and was made many years ago frome 
a living plant then in his garden in China; which plant was sent (and 
arrived alive) to Dr. Lindley at the Horticultural Society: but it soon died. 
Mr. Reeves further received, and they are now before us, the knife, a tile, 
and two squared pieces of wood, used, as was understood, in the several 
processes of preparing the paper and cutting it into particular sizes. 
We are now, thanks to Mrs. Layton, so far advanced in our know- 
ledge of this plant, as to be able to form a correct notion of its affinities. 
We believe that Dr. Lindley has already expressed an opinion, from the 
imperfect specimen he had seen, that it was either Umbelliferous or 
Araliaceous. We have little hesitation in deciding in favour of the 
latter family, nor do we think we can be far wrong in referring it to 
Aralia itself. The species of that genus possess the same habit or 
external characteristics: a more less woody stem, bearing its leaves at 
the apex, or at that of the branches, similar large leaves, not unfre- 
quently palmated, and sometimes, especially while young, clothed with 
the same dense stellated pubescence as in our plant: the petioles are 
often very long, and furnished near the base with two large, more or Žž 
less adnate, subulate stipules. I would suggest for it the name of — — 
ARALIA? PAPYRIFERA, Hook. Bp — 
^ Caule inermi erecto suffruticoso striato annulato intus copiose albissimo- — 
medulloso, folis terminalibus longe petiolatis amplis palmatim 
* These were brought home by Mrs. Layton for Captain Wm. Loring, and that 
gentleman has kindly desired that they should be deposited in the Museum of the — 
Royal Gardens of Kew. 
