RHAMNACEAE. — RHAMNUS 233 



Oliver and R. procumbens Edgeworth, may represent a peculiar group of the genus, 

 if not a subgenus. 



Rhamnus Esquirolii Leveille in Fedde Rep. Sp. Nov. X. 473 (1912). 



Descriptio nova emendata: Frutex 1.5-3 m. altus, espinosus; 

 ramuli initio puberuli, olivacei, deinde brunnescentes, lenticellis parvis 

 obtecti, glabrescentes v. glabri; gemmae satis evolutae nondum visae, 

 ut videtur subnudae. Folia alterna, decidua, papyracea, majora 

 elliptico-lanceolata v. late lanceolata, basi rotunda v. obtusa, apice 

 sensim v. satis subito acuminata, 7-14.5 em. longa, 1.5-5 cm. lata, 

 minora saepissime ovata v. ovato-elliptica, 2-7 cm. longa, 1.2-3 cm. 

 lata, apice obtusiora, supra satis viridia, opaca?, glabra v. costa im- 

 pressa pilis paucis conspersa, subtus vix pallidiora, ut videtur nitida, 

 tenue pilosa v. glabra, nervis a costa versus marginem currentibus 

 utrinque 5-8 satis curvatis campylotropis, rete nervorum satis con- 

 spicuo, margine denticulata, dentibus brevibus distantibus callosis; 

 petioli pilosi, 5-10 cm. longi; stipulae ut bracteae setaceae, breves, 

 persistentes, flavo-brunnescentes, pungentes. Inflorescentia axillaris, 

 plerumque elongata, racemoso-fasciculata, ad 2.5 cm. longa, v. fas- 

 ciculum sessilem formans, pilosa; flores pentameri, pilosi, an dioeci?, 

 fere sessiles v. pedicellis ad 3 mm. longis pilosis; sepala triangularia, 

 acuta, receptaculo subaequilonga; petala sepalis paullo breviora, 

 obovata, basi breve unguiculata, in sicco nigrescentia, staminibus 

 subaequilonga; antherae flavo-albae (baud nigrescentes ut a cl. Le- 

 veille descriptae); ovaria satis parva, stylis 2-3 contiguis instructa. 

 Fructus ignotus. 



Western Szech'uan: Yachou Fu, thickets, alt. 1300 m., June 

 1908 (No. 3334; bush 1.5-2.3 m., flowers greenish); Mt. Omei, June 

 1904 (Veitch Exped. No. 4800; shrub 2.5 m. tall). Kweichou: 

 '' Pin Fa," woods, June 15, 1906; J. Esquirol (No. 392, type). 



Wilson's specimens differ from L^veille's type only in the more glabrous leaves 

 and branchlets. In the persistent rather pungent stipules, which Leveill6 does 

 not mention, this species resembles R. heterophyllus Oliver from which it is other- 

 wise totally different. It may be related to the following group of species, espe- 

 cially to R. nipalensis Wallich, but none of these species with an elongated inflores- 

 cence bears persistent and prickly stipules. 



Rhamnus paniculiflorus Schneider, n. sp. 



Frutex 1.5-3 m. altus saepe scandens, inermis; ramuli initio et 

 annotini puberuli, olivaceo-brunnei, lenticellis numerosissimis brun- 

 neis verrucosi. Folia alterna, decidua (an semper?), subcoriacea, 

 ovato-eUiptica, elliptica v. elliptico-oblonga, basi rotunda v. obtusa, 



