Populus I &39 



are pure woods of this and P. Sieboldii. Both of these poplars are valued for their 

 timber, which is considered the best for matches, and are being planted extensively 

 by private persons. The seed was not ripe till the middle of July, but none of that 

 which I brought home germinated, and I am not aware that any trees of Japanese 

 origin have yet been introduced. (H. J. E.) 





POPULUS SIMONII 



Populus Simonii, Carriere, in Rev. Hort. 1867, p. 360; Wesmael, in Mint. Soc. Sc. Hainaut, iii. 

 247 (1869); Schneider, Laubholzkunde, i. 16 (1904); Dode, in Mim. Soc. Hist. Nat. Autun., 

 xviii. 58 (1905); Gombocz, in Math. Termes. Kozl. xxx. 105 (191 1). 



Populus balsamifera, Linnaeus, var. Simonii, Wesmael, in Bull. Soc. Roy. Pot. Belg. xxvi. 378 (1887); 

 Burkill, in Jour n. Linn. Soc. (Pot.) xxvi. 536 (1899). 



A tree, the dimensions of which in the wild state are unknown. Young 

 branchlets glabrous, usually reddish brown, with five projecting ribs. Buds viscid, 

 glabrous, sharp-pointed, parallel with the twig. Leaves 1 (Plate 410, Fig. 28), on 

 young trees rhombic-elliptic, averaging 3 in. long and if in. broad, cuneate at the 

 base, contracted at the apex into a short cuspidate point, glabrous, dull whitish 

 beneath ; margin with deciduous cilia and crenulate serrations, ending in minute 

 glandular incurved points ; lateral nerves seven to nine pairs, all pinnate ; petiole 

 short, often not \ in. long, channelled above, glabrous, reddish, the red colour being 

 continued along the midrib 2 on the upper surface of the blade. Leaves on short 

 shoots and on older trees, smaller and on long petioles, which are often 1^ in. in 

 length. Leaves on vigorous shoots and at the summit of the tree, very large, often 

 5 in. long and 4 in. broad, ovate-elliptical, cuspidate, on petioles ^ to 1 in. long. 



Staminate catkins, according to Schneider, 1 in. long ; stamens about eight in a 

 cup-shaped disc. Pistillate flowers and fruit unknown. 



This species occurs in north China, where it was collected by Simon in 1862, 

 at Si-wan, north-east of Kalgan, and by Bushell 8 in 1868 in the neighbourhood of 

 Peking. Simon sent living plants about 1862 to the Museum at Paris, where the 

 original tree, described by Carriere, is still living, and to Simon- Louis at Plantieres, 

 Metz. 



This poplar is little known in England, where we have only seen small living 

 trees at Kew. Elwes received some short truncheons of this from Pekin in 1907, 

 of which, though three months in transit, two grew, and seem likely to succeed at 

 Colesborne. A thriving tree at Grignon, near Paris, which measured 58 ft. by 2\ ft. 

 in 1906, is narrow in habit, with short branches and pendulous branchlets; and 

 young specimens show a similar weeping habit. 



Prof. Craig, of the Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa, states 4 that this tree 



1 This species is remarkable for the variation in the length of the petioles, which appear to remain short only in young 

 trees. The large leaves are characteristic of the summit of adult trees, but may appear on vigorous lateral branches also. 



2 The midrib is yellow throughout on old trees. 



3 Erroneously identified as P. laurifolia mjoiirn. Linn. Soc. (Bot.) xxvi. 536 (1899). 



4 Quoted by L. H. Bailey, in Cornell Univ. Agrie. Station, Bull. 68, p. 221 (1894). 



