March 39, 1910 



HORTICULTURE 



433 



Plant Novelties From China 



Rubus is a vast and cosmqpolitan genus containing a 

 large number of species of use and value to mankind. 

 The species exhibit considerable variety (probably hy- 

 bridizing freely among themselves) and the genus is a 

 particularly troublesome one from the point of view of 

 the systematic botanist. In China over a hundred spe- 

 cies occur and, curiously enough, the majority are 

 "fixed" and easily distinguished. Indeed, though the 

 genus is so largely concentrated in China the species 

 present fewer difficulties and are more readily distin- 

 guished than those of other lands. 



The Chinese brambles include quite a number of orna- 

 mental and useful species though the bulk are of course 

 more fitted for Arboretum and Botanic garden than 

 elsewhere. In E. flagelliflorus and R. Bambusarum we 

 have two species distinct in habit and general appear- 

 ance from all others and extremely ornamental pillar 

 plants. The first-named is a woodland species with 

 simple, cordate, pointed leaves dark, velvety green above 

 and covered on the underside with a dun-colored felt. 

 The branches are long, slender and whip-like giving the 

 plant a very graceful appearance. 



VlTIS ARMATA VAR. VeITCHII 

 Cultivated in Coombe Wood Nursery. 



KUBUS FLAGEILIFLORUS 

 As cultlTated by Messrs. Veltch. 



R. Bambusarum is a denizen of thickets and has slen- 

 der, horizontally spreading and arching branches. The 

 leaves are trifoliolate with narrow, lance-shaped leaflets, 

 dark green above, grey below. The flowers in both 

 species are inconspicuous, the fruits black, edible but of 

 indifferent flavor. 



R. Henryi is another good bramble similar in habit 

 to R. Bambusarum but with trifid instead of trifoliolate 

 leaves. 



R. coreanus is a strong-growing species with pinnate, 

 -hining, metallic green leaves and white stems. In 

 winter the white, waxy bloom on the stems is very 

 strongly developed making the plant particularly at- 

 tractive and conspicuous. 



R. lasiostylus is another bramble having white and 

 ornamental stems. This species is also a strong grower 

 with pinnate leaves. The fruits are large, woolly in 

 appearance but of good flavor. The stems in addition 

 to being white are densely clothed with bristly hairs. 



R. irenaeus and R. polytrichus are prostrate growing 

 woodland brambles suitable for planting under trees or 

 on rockeries. The first-named has broadly-reniforme 

 leaves, dark green, smooth above, dun-colored below 

 and prominent stipules. R. polytrichus has ovate, 

 pointed leaves and shoots covered with orange-yellow, 

 bristly hairs. Both species are small growing with 

 large, white, axillary flowers and red fruits. 



