254 CHINESE ECONOMIC TREES 



E. China to Korea and Japan. In Western Szechuan this tree is 

 known as the Tung-ching or 'Winter-green" tree. It is commonly 

 planted around temples, esteemed for its beauty. 



IDESIA 



Trees. Leaves deciduous, alternate, 3-5 nerved at the base, remotely 

 serrate, acute, more or less cordate, long petioled. The petioles and leaf 

 bases often with a few conspicuous glands or nectaries. Flowers apetalous, 

 dioecious, in terminal panicles; sepals 5, sometimes 3-6, imbricate; ovary 

 globose, 1 celled ; styles 5. Fruit a berry with many seeds embedded in a 

 pulpy flesh. 



1 species in Central and W. China and S. Japan. 



Idesia polycarpa Maximowicz. 



Tree about 15 m. tall with smooth gray bark. Leaves ovate or oblong- 

 ovate, cordate at the base, acuminate, remotely crenate-serrate, dark 

 lustrous green and smooth above, glaucous and glabrous or pubescent 

 below, averaging about 15 cm. long; the petioles very variable, from 2.5 

 to 5 or 6 cm. long. Flowers greenish-yellow, in pendulous panicles, 10-15 

 cm. long. Staminate flowers 12 mm. in diameter. Pistillate flowers 

 smaller. Berries orange red, borne in long pendulous clusters. 



China, Korea, Formosa and Japan. 



A very common tree in Western Hupeh. The leaves resemble those 

 of the Catalpa in appearance, though they are thicker and smaller. The 

 bright red fruits in grape-like clusters are particularly handsome. Propa- 

 gated by seeds. 



CARRIEREA 



Deciduous tree. Leaves alternate, ovate, acuminate, serrate, rounded 

 or cordate at the base, long petioled. Flowers dioecious, apetalous, in 

 terminal, tomentose panicles, with 2 foliaceous bracts at the base of each 

 flower stalk ; sepals 5, pubescent; stamens numerous, shorter than the 

 sepals; ovary ovate-oblong, 1 celled, many ovuled, rudimentary in the 

 staminate flower ; styles 3-4, very short, stigma 3 parted. Fruit a large, 

 lanceolate capsule, dehiscent into 3 valves. Seeds numerous, winged. 



The following is a handsome tree and the only species known. 



