1915-16.] BOTAXICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH 89 



New Garden Dracocephalums from China. By 

 W. W. Smith, M.A., and George Forrest. 



(Read 13th April 1916.) 



During the last two years further botanical material has 

 been obtained in the rich alpine regions of North-West 

 Yunnan, and amongst this material (as yet but inadequately 

 examined) are certain interesting new Dracocephalums 

 with pinnatifid leaves, some of which are already in culti- 

 vation and will prove of undoubted horticultural value. 

 Previous to the discovery of these, only one pinnatifid- 

 leaved member of this genus was recognised as being 

 Chinese — D. tangtiticum, Maxim., — and in the recently 

 published Key to the Labiatae of China (S. T. Dunn, B.A,, 

 RL.S., in Notes R.B.G. Edin., vi, 127) that species is 

 separated from its Chinese allies by its pinnatifid leaves. 

 Moreover, all the Kansu, Szechuen, and Yunnan sheets 

 with such leaves are referred to that species. We have 

 previousljT- acquiesced in this arrangement, which we saw 

 no good reason to dispute, supported too as it was by both 

 Professor Diels and Mr. Dunn, authorities on the Flora of 

 China of the highest standing. But further experience in 

 the field and acquaintance with the plants under cultiva- 

 tion have forced us to the conclusion that D. tanguticum 

 is an aggregation of very distinct plants which in gardens 

 would be looked upon as meriting definite specific names. 

 As regards the Yunnan species of the group, observation 

 in the field with the discovery of new allies strongly 

 supports this conclusion. Garden experience of the newer 

 plants points in the same direction. 



It was the discovery of D. Isabellae (described hy one of 

 us in Notes R.B.G. Edin., viii, 211) which first suggested 

 the possibility of a series of closely allied species of the 

 D. tanguticum type. Tliis very beautiful species was 

 found on the Chungtien plateau, and is now in cultivation. 

 It possesses leaves almost identical with those of D. tan- 

 guticum, but its magnificent flowers have distinct characters 

 of their own. Then followed a small-flowered species 

 which is described below as D. j^i'ojnnquum ; in habit and 



