310 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [Sess. lxxix. 



have nowhere in connection with P. filipes, P. jjoculiformis, 

 or P. Clarke i, found any reference to the peculiar strong and 

 oppressive odour of this plant, which is identical with 

 that of Geranium Robertianum — hence the suggestion 

 regarding the name given above." 



Franchet, who next dealt with P. obconica, Hance, as a 

 species, 1 comments upon its variableness. " Its different 

 forms," he says, " could be easily taken for distinct species." 

 Of the forms in the Paris Herbarium he diagnosed, however, 

 only three varieties, namely : — 



(a) hispida. — Pubes dimorpha, ex parte pilis brevissimis, 

 ex parte pilis articulatis elongatis, praesertim in parte 

 inf eriore pedunculi et in petiolis, constans ; folia ambitu 

 ovata, nunc grosse serrata, nunc angulata, nunc obscure 

 r epando - dentata. 



Moupin, at the base of rocks, David, February 1869. 



Sutchuen, on the bank of the Blue River at Che-pa-to, 

 Delavay, No. 317 bis, 18th April 1882. 



Sutchuen, Koui-tcheou, Simon. 



Hupeh, about Ichang, Watters ; Delavay, No. 317. 



(6) rotundifolia. — Pubescentia ut in var. (a) ; sed folia 

 ambitu rotundata, limbo saepius parvo ; flores fere duplo 

 minores quam in varietate praecedente, tubo gracili. 



Yunnan, gorge of Pee-cha-ho at Mo-so-yn near Lankong, 

 Delavay, No. 307, 3rd March 1883. 



Yunnan, gorges of Lankien-ho, alt. 7400 ft., Delavay, 

 No. 845. 



(c) GLABRESCENS. — Pubescentia pilis brevissimis constans, 

 exclusis pilis articulatis elongatis ; folia ovata vel ovato- 

 rotundata, pallide virentia, grosse crenata vel acute angulata; 

 corollae sat parvae ; tubus gracilis ut in varietate (6). 



Yunnan, rocks of Tsang-chan, above Tali, Delavay, 

 No. 307, 31st March 1883. 



Subsequently, in 1888, Franchet recognised the near 

 relationship of P. obconica, Hance, to the Indian P. Listeri, 

 King, and in a paragraph upon P. Listeri, King, he says : 2 

 " It is to this species, very slightly distinct from P. obconica, 

 Hance, by its smaller, almost orbicular leaves, angularly 

 sinuate at the margins and sparingly or shortly pubescent, 



1 In Bull. Soc. Bot. France, xxxiii (1886), 66. 



2 In Bull. Soc. Bot. France, xxxv (1888), 428. 



