FAGACEAE. — QUERCUS 221 



shan, woods, alt. 1600-2500 m., June 1908 (No. 3632; tree 10 m. tall, 

 girth 1.5 m.). 



This species is common in rocky places in western Hupeh and in Szech'uan be- 

 tween 1000 and 2000 m. altitude and is always a small tree. The leaves persist 

 through the winter and fall as the new ones, unfold. They vary much in degree of 

 dentation and are sometimes quite entire; the fruit ripens in one season. The speci- 

 men from Wa-shan is much less hairy than those from Hupeh and may possibly 

 represent a distinct variety. Seemen's Q. obscura is founded on a flowering speci- 

 men with young leaves only, and some of the leaves are quite entire, but it is with- 

 out doubt specifically identical with his Q. Engleriana. 



Quercus semicarpifolia Smith in Rees, Cyclop. XXIX. No. 20 

 (1819).— Wallich, PI. As. Rar. II. 56, t. 174 (1831). — Miquel in 

 Ann. Mus. Lugd.-Bat. I. 110 (1863-64). —A. De Candolle, Prodr. 

 XVI. pt. 2, 15 (1864). — Brandis, Forest Fl. Ind. 479, t. 64 (1874). — 

 Wenzig in Jahrh. Bot. Gart. Berlin, IV. 219 (1886). — Hooker f., FL 

 Brit. Ind. V. 601 (1888). — King in A7in. Bot. Gard. Calcutta, II. 21, 

 t. 15, fig. 1-3 (1889). — Kanitz in Noven. Gyiljt. Ered. Szechenyi, II. 

 841 (PI. Enum. 56) (1891); in Wiss. Ergeb. Reise Szechenyi, II. 731 

 (1891). — Franchet in Jour, de Bot. XIII. 150 (1899). — Skan in 

 Jour. Linn. Soc. XXVI. 520 (1899). 



Quercus obttisifoUa Roxburgh, Prodr. R. Nepal. 56 (1825). 

 Quercus Cassura Roxburgh, 1. c. 57 (1825). 



Western Szech'uan: northwest of Tachien-lu, Ta-p'ao-shan, 

 forests, alt. 3000-4100 m., October 1908 (No. 4579; small tree 6-15 

 m. tall, girth 1-2 m.); west of Tachien-lu, uplands, alt. 3300^600 

 m., October 1910 (No. 4281''; bush 0.6-5 m.); same locality, July 

 1903 (Veitch Exped. Nos. 4503, 4503=^). 



On the uplands round Tachien-lu this is a common gregarious shrub, and with 

 aUied species, Juni-perus squaniata Lambert and certain species of Rhododendrons 

 with small leaves, ascends to the altitudinal limits of woody vegetation. The size of 

 the bushes and of the leaves depends upon situation and altitude, and the more ex- 

 posed and austere the conditions the smaller the leaves and the dwarfer the bush. 

 In the ravines and wooded areas between 3000 and 4000 m. it forms a tree, from 12 

 to 15 m. tall, with a trunk 2 m. in girth, covered with dark gray bark which is 

 fissured into thin, elongated scaly flakes. On the trees the leaves are much longer 

 and frequently quite entire. The fruit is soUtary or more rarely in pairs and 

 ripens in one season, and the nearly globular acorn, seated in a shallow cup with 

 a fringe of loose scales, is most distinct. The leaves persist through the winter to 

 the summer and a few until the autumn and the plant is entitled to be termed ever- 

 green. The wood is very hard and makes the best of charcoal. 



A picture of this Oak will be found under No. 186 of the collection of Wilson's 

 photographs. 



