420 WILSON EXPEDITION TO CHINA 



1-2 m. tall, flowers yellow, fragrant) ; same locality 1900 (Veitch Exped. 

 No. 1753 as to fruits); Ichang and immediate neighborhood, A. 

 Henry (No. 3565). Chili: Tang-shan, Hot springs, October 1905, 

 F. N. Meyer (No. 216). 



This shrub, the " La-mei-hwa " of the Chinese, is abundant on the cliffs in the 

 glens and gorges around Ichang and westwards into Szech'uan. This is the real 

 home of this plant which is only cultivated in Japan as Makino and others have 

 pointed out. Under the vernacular name of Obai Robai it is well figured in Kaemp- 

 fer's Ai7ioen. Exot. 878, t. 879 (1712). 



Meratia praecox, var. grandifiiora Rehder & Wilson, n. comb. 



Chimonanthus fragrans, var. grandiflora Lindley in Bot. Reg. VI. t. 451 (1820). 

 Chimonanthus praecox, var. grandiflorus Makino in Tokyo Bot. Mag. XXIV. 

 301 (1910). 



Western Hupeh: Ichang, cultivated, January 1908 (No. 36^); 

 same locality, also cultivated, December 1900 (Veitch Exped. No. 

 1753; flowers only). 



This variety has much larger, brighter colored flowers than the type and is a 

 favorite shrub in the gardens of wealthy Chinese. It is propagated by layering 

 and by grafting on the wild type. 



A second species of this genus occurs in central China: 

 Meratia nitens Rehder & Wilson, n. comb. 

 Chimonanthus nitens Oliver in Hooker's Icon. X. t. 1600 (1887). 

 Calycanthus nitens Rehder in Bailey, Cycl. Am. Hort. I. 223 (1900). 



