222 WILSON EXPEDITION TO CHINA 



Quercus aquifolioides Rehder & Wilson, n. sp. 



Frutex V. arbor parva, 1-10-metralis, ramosissima; ramuli hornotini 

 fusci, fasciculato-pilosi, annotini glabrescentes. Folia persistentia per 

 tres annos, coriacea, subsessilia, ovalia v. ovata v. elliptica, rarius 

 obovato-elliptica, apice rotundata saepe spinoso-mucronata, basi 

 subcordata v. auriculata, sinuoso-spinoso-dentata v, Integra, mar- 

 gine leviter revoluta, 3-7.5 cm. pleraque 4-5.5 cm. longa et 2-5.5 cm. 

 lata, supra maturitate fere glabra v. leviter scabrella, nitidula, subtus 

 dense tomento fusco-aureo obtecta costa nervisque glabrescentibus 

 exceptis, nervis utrinsecus 5-7 ante marginem plerisque furcatis supra 

 impressis subtus manifeste elevatis, costa media supra leviter subtus 

 manifeste elevata; petioli 1-5 mm. longi, fasciculato-pilosi, demum 

 glabrescentes, stipulis ad secundum annum persistentibus, lineari- 

 lanceolatis 5-8 mm. longis membranaceis fasciculato-pubescentibus. 

 Flores feminei plures in spicis axillaribus erectis pedunculatis 1-2 cm. 

 longis fasciculato-pubescentibus; bracteae triangulares acutae vil- 

 losae; styli plerumque 3, recurvati. Amenta mascula fasciculato- 

 pubescentia, floribus remotis; perianthium rotatum, membrana- 

 ceum, 2 mm. longum, plerumque lobis 5 brevibus imbricatis ciliatis v. 

 irregulariter eroso-denticulatis, intus villosum, extus sparse pubescens; 

 stamina 5 filamentis perianthium aequantibus glabris, antheris ovoideis 

 1.25 mm. longis. Fructus biennes, 1-5 in spicis erectis; cupula cupuli- 

 formis, 8-10 mm. diam., 4-5 mm. alta, intus adpresse sericeo-pilosa; 

 bracteae liberae, lineari-lanceolatae, laxe adpressae, infra dense villosae, 

 in parte superiore ciliatae ceterum fere glabrae, brunneae, superiores 

 cupulam superantes et marginem brevem fimbriatum formantes; 

 glans ovoidea, 1.2-1.5 cm. longa et 1-1.1 cm. diam., apiculata. 



Western Szech'uan: west of Kuan Hsien, Pan-lan-shan, up- 

 lands, alt. 3500-4500 m., June 24, 1908 and October 1910 (Nos. 

 3632% 4372% 4580, type). 



This new species is perhaps most closely related to Q. semicarpifolia Smith, but 

 that species has an annual fructification and a larger, nearly globular acorn. In 

 western Szech'uan these two species grow in the same regions at similar altitudes 

 and superficially very strongly resemble each other. Both are gregarious plants 

 and on the windswept uplands cover large areas in the form of scrub ; in sheltered 

 places they develop into small trees. In both the under surface of the leaves is a 

 rich golden brown, but in Q. aquifolioides they persist at least until the end of the 

 third season. Quercus spinosa David agrees with our new species in having biennial 

 fruit, but in David's species the leaves at maturity are glabrous, except the mid- 

 rib in its lower half, and the tomentum on the young leaves is gray, never golden 

 brown; the veins are more spreading and the leaf strongly bullate; the scales of the 

 cup are very short, firmly appressed and quite distinct one from another. In 



