CELASTRACEAE. — CELASTRUS 351 



Frutex scandens, 3-6-metralis, glaber; ramuli teretes v. leviter 

 striati, fusco- v. griseo-brunnei, lenticellis parvis notati; gemmae par- 

 vae, late ovatae, obtusae v. subacutae. Folia decidua, chartacea, 

 elliptica v. elliptico-lanceolata, rarius ovato-elliptica, acuminata v. 

 subito breviter acuminata, basi rotundata v. late cuneata, crenato- 

 serrata v. serrata dentibus incurvis glanduloso-mucronulatis, 4.5-11 

 cm. longa et 3-6.5 cm. lata, supra viridia, opaca, subtus vix pallidiora, 

 nervis utrinsecus 4-6 curvatis, supra, in sicco saltem, et subtus leviter 

 elevatis, venulis obsoletis; petioli supra leviter canaliculati, 5-12 nam. 

 longi. Flores albo-virides, in ramis lateralibus paucifoliatis v. rarius 

 aphyllis racemos terminales 3-4 cm. longos et cymas axillares pauci- 

 floras subsessiles formantes; bracteae subulatae, membranaceae, 1-2 

 mm. longae; pedicelli filiformes, 5-7 mm. longi; sepala rotundata, 

 glanduloso-ciliata, tubum calycis subaequentia; petala oblonga v, 

 spathulata, 3.5-4 mm. longa et 1-1.5 mm. lata, leviter concava, erecto- 

 patentia, leviter erosa; glandulae disci 5 parvae, latae; stamina petalis 

 paullo breviora, filamentis subulatis glabris; flores pistillati non visi. 

 Capsula 3-valvata et 3-locularis, subglobosa apiculata, lutea, 1 cm. 

 longa et 8 mm. diam., valvis transverse striatis; pedicellus lenticella- 

 tus, infra capsulam subito incrassatus; semina in quoque loculo bina, 

 obtuse trigono-oblonga v. fere ellipsoidea, 4.5 mm. longa, dorso late 

 reticulata, atrobrunnea. 



Western Hupeh: Hsing-shan Hsien, thickets, alt. 1300-2000 m., 

 May and November 1907 (Nos. 357^^, type, 2309, 560) ; Patung Hsien, 

 thickets, alt. 1000-1300 m., October 1907 (No. 503) ; Changyang Hsien, 

 thickets, alt. 1500 m., November 1907 (No. 688); without precise 

 locality, A. Henry (Nos. 5986, 5986% 5909). Eastern Szech'uan: 

 Wushan Hsien, A. Henry (No. 5640, 5734). 



This species has been confused with the Japanese C. articulata Thunberg, 

 yet it is really very distinct and when seen growing side by side no one would con- 

 fuse them. In herbaria the differences are not so obvious, although the leaves 

 and character of the inflorescence differ markedly. The Japanese plant has thinner, 

 more or less orbiculai leaves, usually cuneate at the base but occasionally truncate, 

 the upper surface is rather lustrous green and the venation is distinctly reticulate; 

 the flowers are larger and always borne in stalked axillary cymose clusters. 

 Celastrus arliculata, var. punctata Makino approaches C. Loesencri in the shape 

 of its lea^JlpiPr but differs in other particulars, as does the type species. 



C'etos/rMS Loesencri is very common in western Hupeh, and the leaves which are 

 rather fleshy are apt to fall off in drying. 



Celastrus Rosthorniana Loesener in Engler, Bot. Jahrh. XXIX. 

 445 (1900), XXX. 468 (1902). — Leveill^, Fl Koiiy-Tcheou, 69 

 (1914). 



