22 WILSON EXPEDITION TO CHINA 



Popuhis brevifolia Carrifire ex Schneider, III. Handb. Laubholzk. I. 16 (pro 

 synon.) (1904). 



Western Hupeh: Hsing-shan Hsien, roadside, alt. 1300 m., very- 

 rare. May 8, 1909 (No. 1454; tree 12 m. tall, girth 1.50 m.). Western 

 Szeeh'uan : Wen-chuan Hsien, Min River valley, alt. 1300-2300 m., 

 abundant, October 1908 (No. 1420; tree 5-12 m.). Chili: near San- 

 tun-ying, on sandy places along mountain streams, May 31, 1913, 

 F. N. Meyer (Nos. 974, 975; attains often great size); Nankow, Octo- 

 ber 6, 1905, J. G. Jack; Siwantze, G. E. Simon (No. 151, type, ex 

 Burkill). 



NORTHEASTERN ASIA. Mandshuria: upper Amur, August 13, 1891, 

 S. Korshinsky; common in country of Harbin, August 29, 1903, C. S. Sargent 

 (branches slightly angular, leaves broadly obovate, a somewhat doubtful speci- 

 men). 



This species, which has been so often confounded with P. suaveolens, appears 

 sometimes to grow with that species. Its nearest relative may be P. laurifolia 

 Ledebour. 



The shape of the leaves is variable, and in some forms the leaves are very small. 

 On young vigorous shoots and also near the ends of the branches of older trees 

 the leaves are round-obovate with a long acute base and are rounded and only shortly 

 cuspidate at the apex, and the petioles are very short (2-20 mm.) and usually dark 

 red. Such leaves measure from 3-13 cm. in length and from 2-10 cm. in width. 

 Tlie long-petiolate leaves of younger plants often greatly resemble those of P. 

 suaveolens, but are nearly always obovate-lanceolate. Unfortunately I have not 

 yet seen any female flowers or fruits. The whole plant seems to be glabrous. 



In Hupeh I met with only three trees of this Poplar, and these were growing by a 

 house half a day's march from the city of Hsing-shan Hsien. In the valley of the 

 Min River in western Szeeh'uan it is common between 1300 and 2300 m. altitude 

 and is usually planted round houses and in villages. It is a more slender tree than 

 P. suaveolens Fischer, with shorter and thinner branches, which form a rounded or 

 oval crown. The Hupeh trees had ascending-spreading branches, but in Szeeh'uan 

 the branches were spreading and the branchlets pendulous. Young trees raised from 

 cuttings from both sources and growing in the Arnold Arboretum exhibit no appar- 

 ent difference in branching habit and resemble the Szeeh'uan type. A picture of 

 this tree will be foimd under No. 0337 of the collection of my photographs. 



E. H. W. 



Here may be added two forms cultivated in the Arnold Arboretum. 



Populus Simonii, f. pendula Schneider, n. forma. 



A typo recedit ramis distincte pendulis, ramuHs satis angulatis v. subalatis. 



To this form belongs a Uving specimen in the Arnold Arboretum. 



Populus Simonii, f. fastigiata Schneider, n. forma. 



A typo recedit habitu late pyramidali, ramis angulo acuto a trunco divergenti- 

 bus, ramulis subangulatis v. subrotundis. 



This interesting form was discovered and introduced by F. N. Meyer through 

 the Department of Agriculture of the United States. See his photographs in the 

 collection of the Department of Agriculture Nos. 5288, 5335 and 5412. 



