458 WILSON EXPEDITION TO CHINA 



Betula utilis, var. sinensis Winkler in Engler, Pflanzenr. 1V.-61, 62 (1904). — 

 Henry in Elwes & Henry, Trees Gr. Brit. & Irel. IV. 981 (1909). 



Western Hupeh : Fang Hsien, alt. 1600-3000 m., woods, May 15, 

 1907 (No. 3363; tree 5-17 m. tall, girth 0.6-1.8 m., bark orange-red; 

 flowers and bark); same locality, alt. 2300-3300 m., uplands, June 

 23, 1910 (No. 4438; tree 13-23 m. tall, girth 0.9-3 m., bark bright 

 orange; fruits); same locality, mountains. May 1901 (Veitch Exped. 

 No. 1889; flowers; Seed No. 1157); April 1900 (Veitch Exped. No. 

 1890; flowers); same locality, A. Henry (No. 6798, 6798='; sterile); 

 Hsing-shan Hsien, June 1901 (Veitch Exped. No. 2123; fruits). 

 Western Szech'uan: west and near Wen-ch'uan Hsien, alt. 2G00- 

 3600 m., October 1910 (No. 4106; tree 13-33 m. tall, girth 1.5- 

 3.6 m., bark orange; fruits and bark). Western Kansu: Tibetan 

 country, W. Purdom (fruits). Shensi: Tai-pei-shan, W. Purdom 

 (No. 400; bark). 



The typical form of this species with glabrous and glandular branchlets occurs 

 in Hupeh as well as in the area of the following form, but is not yet recorded from 

 the same region as B. utilis var. Prattii Burkill. 



This beautiful Birch is abundant on the high mountains of northwestern Hupeh 

 and northeastern Szech'uan, but is rare in western Szech'uan and as far as our knowl- 

 edge goes is confined to the northwest parts of the province. Usually it grows mixed 

 with other deciduous leaved trees, but occasionally it forms almost pure woods. It 

 is a tree from 20 to 26 m. tall with a trunk from 2 to 3.5 m. in girth. The bark is 

 bright orange to orange-red, peeling off in very thin sheets, each successive sheet 

 being covered with white glaucous bloom. Pictures of this tree will be found under 

 Nos. 702 and 0106 of the collection of my photographs and in my Vegetation of 

 Western China, No. 139. E. H. W. 



Betula albo-sinensis, var. septentrionalis Schneider, n. var. 



f Betula utilis Winkler apud Diels in Bot. Jahrb. XXXVI. Beibl. LXXXII. 33 

 (1905). 



A typo differt ramuhs plus minusve distincte glandulosis, foliis 

 subtus costa nervisque saepe distinctius sericeis et in axillis barbatis. 



Western Szech'uan: northeast of Tachien-lu, Ta-p'ao-shan, alt. 

 3000-3600 m., July 4, 1908 (No. 900, type; tree 13-33 m. tall, girth 

 1.8-3 m., bark orange; fruits and bark); west of Romi-chango, alt. 

 2600 m., forests, July 5, 1908 (No. 900%- tree 20-27 m. tall, girth 

 2.1-3 m., bark orange; fruits). Western Kansu: Tow River 

 district, W. Purdom (No. 752; fruits). Shensi: " Tai-pa-shan, 

 Miao-wang-shan," G. Giraldi (ex Winkler). 



This variety needs further observation. It has very deeply cleft bracts; the 

 middle lobe is long and rather narrow, while the lateral lobes are spreading-erect and 

 variable in shape. The catkins in both this variety and in the type are somewhat 



