LAURACEAE. — PHOEBE 71 



marginibus recurvis, 10-18 cm. longa, 3-5 cm. lata; costa conspicua 

 crassa; nervi laterales utrinque 10-12, prominentes, nervulis irregu- 

 laribus sparsis inter se juncti; petiolus gracilis, 1-2 cm, longus. Flores 

 in paniculis gracilibus paucifloris axillaribus v. lateralibus ad 8 cm. 

 longis; pedunculus fere filiformis; ramuli 2-3-flori, bracteis parvis 

 linearibus; perianthii tubus brevis glaber; lobi ovati, exteriores paullo 

 breviores; stamina 9 minima, 1 mm. longa, ordinis I. et II. antheris 

 orbicularibus obtusis, ordinis III. antheris oblongis, ad basim filamen- 

 torum glandulis 2 parvis reniformibus munita, ordinis IV, staminodia 

 cordata, breviter stipitata; ovarium globosum, stylo gracili, stigmate 

 parvo capitato. Bacca globosa, glabra, 1 cm. diam,, supra perian- 

 thii tubum incrassatum lobis persistentibus insidens; pedicellus 

 fructifer incrassatus, 6 mm. longus. 



Western Szech'uan: near Wa-wa-shan, Hung-ya Hsien, alt. 

 1000-1200 m., September 6, 1908 (No, 3702; bush 2-3 m. high); Mt. 

 Omei, June 1904 (Veitch Exped., No. 5185, type). 



I have been much in doubt about the genus of this plant. It has the appearance 

 of a Phoebe near P. lanceolata Nees, but with distinctly oblanceolate leaves; the 

 very small flowers and the comparatively large fruit with enlarged pedicel, however, 

 point to Alseodaphne. 



PHOEBE Nees. 

 Phoebe macrophylla Gamble, n. comb. 



Machilus macrophylla Hemsley in Jour. Linn. Sac. XXVI. 375 (1891). 



Western Szech'uan: Chengtu Plain, round temples and houses, 

 alt. 500-700 m.. May 11, 1908 (No. 3705; tree 16 m. tall, girth 2 m.). 

 Western Hupeh: Patung Hsien, April 1900 (Veitch Exped. No. 

 S without locality, May 1901 (Veitch Exped. No. 99^). 



In western Hupeh and Szech'uan the name " Nanmu shu " is applied to this 

 and the other species of Phoebe and to the genera Machilus and Actinodaphne. 

 These trees are the source of " Nanmu " one of the most valuable of all Chinese 

 timbers. All the species are evergreen and singularly handsome trees. In 

 Szech'uan they are abundant up to an altitude of 1000 metres, often forming 

 extensive woods. They are largely planted round homesteads and temples and 

 are a prominent feature of the scenery of parts of the Chengtu Plain and of the 

 region round the base of Mount Omei. These trees grow to a great size and have 

 clean, straight trunks and wide, umbrageous heads. The wood is close-grained, 

 fragrant, greenish-white and brown in color, easily worked and very durable. It 

 is highly esteemed in furniture-making, and for pillars and beams in the temples 

 and in the houses of the wealthy. In the form of planks it is used for the bottoms 

 of boats. Phoebe macrophylla Gamble, is one of the commonest and most widely 

 spread species of " Nanmu " trees. A picture of it will be found under No. 67 of 

 the collection of my photographs and in my Vegetation of Western China, No. 

 301. E. H. W. 



