PLUMBAGINACEAE. 



Determined by E. H. Wilson. 



CERATOSTIGMA Bge. 



Ceratostigma minus Stapf apud Prain in Jour. Bot. XLIV. 7 (1906). 



Ceratostigma GriffUhii Pritzel in Engler, Bot. Jahrb. XXIX. 525 (non Clarke) 

 (1900). 



Western Szech'uan: near Monkong Ting, valley of Hsiao-chin- 

 ho, alt. 2300-3600 m., June 30, 1908 (No. 2315; shrub 0.3-0.8 m. tall, 

 flowers blue); Wen-ch'uan Hsien, A. von Rosthorn (No. 3001). 



In the arid valleys of the upper Tung and Yalung rivers and their tributaries 

 this is a very common low-growing shrub. The upper parts of the branches are 

 leafless or nearly so and are crowded with axillary and terminal flower clusters 

 which coflectively form a narrow panicle or false raceme. The flowers are small 

 and clear sky-blue. 



This species is undoubtedly very close to C. GriffUhii Clarke, and may eventually 

 prove to be only a glabrescent variety of that species. The plant called C. Polhilli 

 by Bulley (in Gard. Chron. ser 3. XXX. 6 (nomen nudum) [1901]) very probably 

 belongs here. 



Ceratostigma Willmottianirai Stapf in Bot. Mag. CXL. t. 8591 

 (1914). 



Western Szech'uan: Wen-ch'uan Hsien, valley of Min River, alt. 

 1300-2000 m., July and November 1908 (No. 1373; shrub 0.6-1 m. 

 tall, flowers cobalt blue); Mao-chou, dry regions, alt. 2000 m., May 

 and October 1908 (No. 2314; shrub 0.3-1 m. tall). 



This shrub with beautiful blue flowers in terminal, solitary capitate clusters ia 

 abundant in the semi-arid regions of the Min River valley between 1200 and 2500 m. 

 altitude, but 1 did not meet with it elsewhere in western China. 



Here may be added a note on a species collected by A. Henry. 



Ceratostigma Griffithii Clarke in Hooker f., Fl. Brit. Ind. III. 481 (1882). — 

 Prain in Jour. Bot. XLIV. 7 (1906). — Diels in Not. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh, YU. 

 45, 194 {PI. Chin. Forrest.) (1912). 



Yunnan: Mengtsze, ravine, alt. 1500 m., A. Henry (No. 9586). 



With its obovate-spatulate leaves hairy on both surfaces and the rufous pu- 

 bescence on the shoots this plant agrees with Clarke's description. The specimen, 

 however, is poor, being in young fruit. 



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