238 WILSON EXPEDITION TO CHINA 



promiscue apparentia, supra viridia, tota facie plus minusve pilosa, 

 subtus pallidiora, saepe tantum ad nervos utrinque 3-4 pilosa et bar- 

 bellata, margine crenato-denticulata, basi ex parte Integra; petioll 

 3-6 mm. longi, pilosi; stipulae setaceae, quam petioli plerumque 

 breviores. Flores axillares, 2-12 conferti, virides, dioeci, foeminei 

 2-2.5 mm. longi, sparse pilosi; sepala anguste triangulari-lanceolata, 

 acuta, quam receptacula pauUo longiora; petala nulla; staminodia 

 minima filiformia; styli satis bifidi; pedicelli 4-6 mm. pilosi, masculi 

 ignoti. Fructus obovato-globosus, inaequalis, 6 mm. crassus, niger; 

 semina nigrescentia, nitidula, obovalia, ventre plana v. leviter concava, 

 5.5 mm. longa et 3 mm. crassa, sulco basi tantum aperto instructa. 



Western Szech'uan: Tachien-lu, thickets, alt. 2400-3200 m., 

 October 1910 (Nos. 41 13, type). 



Rhamnus dumetorum appears to be closely related to R. Leveilleanus Schneider 

 and R. globosus Bunge and the difference between these species is not very obvious. 

 From R. Leveilleanus our new species differs in the minute pubescence of the branch- 

 lets, of which the bark, like that of R. leptacanthus Schneider, resembles that of a 

 cherry-tree, in the more dentate, not distinctly crenate leaves, with somewhat 

 longer petioles and shorter stipules, in the pubescent flowers and the differently col- 

 ored seed with a very short furrow. From R. globosus it may be distinguished by 

 the finer and shorter pubescence of branchlets and leaves, the latter being of a 

 different shape, but with the same serration.^ 



Rhamnus rugulosus Hemsley in Jour. Linn. Soc. XXIII. 129 

 (1886). — Schneider, III. Handh. Laubholzk. II. 276, fig. 196 k-1, 

 198 a-d (1909). 



Western Hupeh: Hsing-shan Hsien, thickets and woodlands, 

 alt. 300-1300 m., common, May 4, June 5, 1907 (No. 3326; bush 1-2 

 m., flowers yellow); Ichang and the immediate neighbourhood, April 



1 To this species we refer as a variety No. 4096 which Mr. Schneider considered 

 a possible new species closely related to R. hypochrysus Schneider and R. lepto- 

 phyllus Schneider. 



Rhamnus dumetorum, var. crenoserratus Rehder & Wilson, n. var. 



A typo recedit foliis 4-7 cm. longis et 2.5-3.5 cm. latis manifestius crenato- 

 serratis plerumque 5-nerviis, ramulis minutius pilosulis. 



Western Szech'uan: Tachien-lu, thickets, alt. 2700-3300 m., October 1910 

 (No. 4096; bush 1.5-3 m. tall, fruit black). 



This variety agrees with the type specimen in all its characters except in the 

 size of the leaves and in its somewhat slighter pubescence. Young plants raised 

 at the Arnold Arboretum from seeds of the two numbers are still more alike, 

 the difference in the size of the leaves being less marked, as the leaves of the variety 

 do not exceed 4 cm. in length, while the leaves of the typical form are up to 2.5 cm. 

 in length. In size and shape of the leaves the variety resembles R. leptophyllus 

 Schneider, but this species is easily distinguished by its glabrous leaves. 



A. R. and E. H. W. 



