324 WILSON EXPEDITION TO CHINA 



We have seen no specimens from China referable to the Indian plant; all belong 

 to the following variety: 



Clematis nutans, var. thyrsoidea Rehder & Wilson, n. var. 



Clematis Buchaniana, /3. vitifolia Bois in Jour. Soc. Hort. France, s6r. 4, I. 



866, fig. 34 (non Hooker f. & Thomson) (1900). — L. Henry in Rev. Hort, 



1905, 437, fig. 180. 

 Clematis Buchananiana Finet & Gagnepain in Bull. Soc. Bat. France, ser. 4, 



III. 541 (non De Candolle) (1903); Contnb. Fl. As. Or. I. 26 (1905). 

 Clematis nutans Bean in Kew Bull. Misc. Inform. 1910, 392. — Gard. Chron, 



ser. 3, XLVIII. 310, fig. 129 (1910). — Garden LXXV. 557, fig. (1911). 



Frutex scandens, 3-6-metralis. Folia pinnata, 2-5-juga, rarius 

 segmentis inferioribus 3-foliolatis; foliola late ovata, rarius ovato- 

 lanceolata, breviter acuminata, basi cordata, rarius truncata v. late 

 cuneata, plerumque 3-lobata, grosse dentata dentibus plerumque 

 late ovatis mucronatis, 4-7 cm. longa et 3-5 lata, supra laete viridia, 

 initio pilis brevibus nitidis conspersa v. fere glabra, subtus densius 

 V. sparsius breviter sericeo-pilosa, rarius fere glabra, venis subtus 

 elevatis conspicuis. Inflorescentia axillaris, pedunculo erecto robusto 

 8-15 cm. longo sustenta, paniculata, satis compacta, plerumque 

 multiflora, bracteis membranaceis pallidis, rarius par inferior foliaceus, 

 instructa; flores graciliter pedicellati, nutantes, pallide flavi. Achaenia 

 late ovoidea, compressa, brunnea, 3-3.5 mm. longa, accumbenti- 

 villosa. Ceterum ut in typo. 



Western Szech'uan: Tachien-lu, thickets, alt. 2300-3300 m., 

 June and October 1908 (No. 1315, type; climber 2.5-5 m., flowers 

 creamy yellow); north-east of Sungpan, upland thickets, alt. 3000- 

 3300 m., September 1910 (No. 4546; climber 6-8 m., flowers pale 

 yellow); Tachien-lu, July 1904 (Veitch Exped. Nos. 3120, 3120% 

 3120b, seed No. 1422); vicinity of Tachien-lu, A. E. Pratt (No. 592). 



In general appearance the foliage of this variety somewhat resembles that of 

 C. Buchananiana De Candolle with which Finet & Gagnepain have confused it, 

 but the leaves in that species are always simply pinnate and less deeply toothed. 

 In our variety the sepals are about as long as the carpels (1.5-1.8 cm.) recurved 

 at the apex and glabrous on the inside. In C. Buchananiana the sepals are 

 nearly twice as long as the carpels (2-4 cm.) and densely pubescent on the inner 

 surface. 



This variety is distinguished from the type by its broadly ovate leaflets, usually 

 cordate at the base, silky pubescent below and with more prominent veins. The 

 inflorescence too is larger and more compact. It is very common around Tachien-lu, 

 rambling over shrubs in situations fully exposed to the sun. 



Clematis trullifera Finet & Gagnepain in Bull. Soc. Bot. France, 

 L. 547 (1903); Contrih. Fl. As. Or. I. 32 (1905). 



