Plate 2538. 



MACHILUS THUNBERGII, Sieb. d- Zucc. 



Laurink.k. 

 M. Thunbergii, Sieb. & Zucc. FL Jap. Fam. Nat. ii. no. 704 ; Hem$l. 



in Journ. Linn. Soc. xxvi. p. 377 ; inter species sinenses calyce f mo- 

 tif ero aucto retlexo recognoscenda. 



Arbor 20-30-pedalis (fide A. Henryi) ramulis foliis floribusque 

 undique glabris vel cito glabrescentibus. Folia ad apices ramulorum 

 conferta, distincte petiolata, rigide coriacea, lanceolata, 2-5 poll, longa, 

 obtuse acuminata, basi cuneata, subtus pallidiora, sed vix glauca. 

 Flores 4-6 lin. diametro, racemosi, racemis laxis paucifloris e basi inno- 

 vationum enascentibus folia subsequantibus ; pedicelli graciles, 4-6 

 lin. longi. Perianthii segmenta ovato-lanceolata vel anguste lanceolata, 

 vix acuta. Stamina perfecta 9, antheris 4-locellatis, 3 interiorum 

 extrorsis. Ovarium glabrum. Bacca globosa, 5-6 lin. diametro. 



Eastern Asia : Hongkong and Chekiang westward to Szechuen, in 

 China ; also in Formosa, Japan, and the Corean Archipelago. 



Shavings of the wood of this tree yield a mucilage, when soaked 

 in water, which is used by Chinese ladies in ' bandolining ' their hair. 

 Dr. E. Bretschneider {Notes on some Botanical Questions connected 

 with the Export Trade of China, 1880, p. 14) mentions the shavings 

 as being exported from Canton to Peking under the name of nieio 

 kao pao hua (i.e. cosmetic glue shavings), and their probable source 

 as Sterculia platanifolia. In 1895 G. M. H. Playfair, Esqr., H.B.M. 

 Consul at Ningpo, sent to Kew specimens in leaf of a tree, called tiao 

 chang, which he had collected in the mountains near Ningpo, with the 

 information that shavings of the wood were used for the purpose 

 described above by the women of that part of China. These specimens 

 w r ere identified as MachiJus Thunberyii, Sieb. et Zucc, and flowering 

 specimens subsequently received from the same gentleman confirmed 

 the identification. Mr. Playfair further acids, on the authority of 

 Mr. A. Henry, that the Canton shavings are from the same tree. — 



W, BOTTING HkMSLEY. 



Fig. I, an unexpanded flower; 2, an expanded flower; 3 ? andrceeium ; 4, anther 

 ■with its valves closed; 5, the snme open ; 6, one of the inner st imens and 2 stipulate 

 glands; 7, a staminodc : 8, pisril in section ; 9, embryo. All more or leu enlarged. 



:-EKIL- IV. VOL. VI. PAKT II 



F 



