HYDRANGEA 631 



only ; i ?, to 3 J ins. long, f to 1 1 ins. wide ; dull green and with appressed hairs 

 above, paler and smooth" beneath except for occasional tufts of down in the 

 vein-axils. Corymbs 2 to 4 ins. across, the sterile flowers ^ to f in. across, the 

 sepals overlapping, broader than long, blue or pink, often with a shallow 

 notch at the apex ; flower-stalks downy. Native of Japan and hardier than 

 H. hortensis, but liable to be injured in hard winters. A dainty shrub, flower- 

 ing in July and August. 



H. VESTITA, Wallich. 



(H. heteromalia, Don.") 



A deciduous shrub, often a small tree in its native places. Leaves oval to 

 narrowly ovate-lanceolate ; 3 to 8 ins. long, i^ to 3 ins. wide ; tapered at both 

 ends or sometimes rounded at the base, finely toothed ; smooth except for 

 some appressed hairs above, covered with a close white down beneath ; stalk 

 | to 1 1 ins. long. Corymbs 4 to 7 ins. across, somewhat thin ; the large, white, 

 sterile flowers at the margin f to I j ins. diameter ; flower-stalks with erect, 

 bristly down. Seed-vessels surmounted by the thickened bases of the two or 

 three styles, and with the calyx persisting as a ring about the middle. Flowers 

 in July and August. 



Native of the Himalaya and China ; introduced in 1821. The distinguish- 

 ing characters of this species are the very downy, whitish under-surface of 

 the leaves, the thickened bases of the persistent styles at the top of the fruit, 

 and the position of the calyx about trie middle. It has been much confused 

 with H. Bretschneideri, which is never so downy beneath the leaf, and has a 

 more tapered apex to the fruit. It is also allied to 



H. ASPERA, Don. a Himalayan and Chinese species having oblong, finely 

 toothed leaves covered beneath with a dense coat of pale down. But the 

 fruit of H. aspera is cup-shaped, the bases of the styles persisting at the top 

 are not thickened, and the calyx band is quite at the top. Also, the bluish 

 sepals of the sterile flowers are frequently toothed, which they never appear to 

 be in H. vestita. 



Neither H. vestita nor H. aspera is so hardy and useful a shrub in gardens 

 as H. Bretschneideri ; they are now rarely seen. Forms of both have been 

 introduced by Wilson from Central and Western China in recent years, which 

 will probably be hardier than the Himalayan types previously known. I have 

 lately seen H. aspera very ornamental at Coombe Wood, the corymbs 4 to 6 

 ins. across, the sterile flowers of a beautiful blue or lavender shade. Wilson 

 also found a completely sterile form of H. aspera (van STERILIS), with a ball 

 of pinkish flowers 4 to 5 ins. across very handsome (Wilson, I473A, Packang, 

 C. China). 



H. XANTHONEURA, Diels. 



A deciduous shrub, 8 ft. or perhaps more high, of loose, thin habit, sending 

 out long slender branches, which are furnished with a few bristly hairs when 

 quite young, and slightly waited. Leaves in threes, ovate or oval, with a short, 

 slender point and rounded base, sharply toothed, 3 to 5 ins. long, i to T.\ ins. 

 wide, dark green and smooth above, pale beneath with whitish appressed hairs 

 on the midrib and chief veins ; stalk \ to if ins. long, slightly bristly. 

 Inflorescence a flattish, corymbose panicle, 5 or 6 ins. across, margined with 

 creamy white, sterile flowers i^ ins. across. Perfect flowers in. across, dull 

 white ; calyx-lobes broadly triangular. 



Native of Central China ; introduced for Messrs Veitch by Wilson about 

 1904. It is a shrub of elegant and distinct habit, and with considerable beauty 

 in flower. It has, perhaps, some affinity with H. Bretschneideri but is, as yet, 

 imperfectly known in gardens. This description was made from a plant that 

 flowered at Coombe Wood in June 1911. 



