COMPOSITAE. 



Determined by Camillo Schneider. 



PLUCHEA Cass. 



Pluchea rubicunda C. Schneider, n, sp. 



Frutex ut videtur erectus et laxe ramosus, 1.5-5 m. altus; ramuli 

 floriferi teretes, dense cano-tomentelli pubescentes, partim glandulosi. 

 Folia alterna, membranacea, elliptica v. elliptico-lanceolata v. sub- 

 ovato-elliptica, basi acuta, vix in petiolum decurrentia, apice plus 

 minusve breviter acuminata acumine interdum satis subito producto, 

 margine indistincte et distanter subrepando-brevidenticulata v. fere 

 Integra, supra viridia, omnino (in nervis densius) brevissime glanduloso- 

 puberula, subtus canescentia, satis dense ut ramuli tomentella, nervis 

 lateralibus utrinsecus circiter 7-8, etiam reticulo paulo prominulo, ma- 

 jora ad 16 cm. longa et paulo infra medium ad 7 cm. lata, minora basi 

 inflorescentiae 5-12 cm. longa, 2-4 cm. lata; petioli cano-tomentelli, 

 8-11 mm. longi. Inflorescentiae paniculato-corymbosae, circiter 6 

 cm. altae et ad 20 cm. latae, ut ramuli cano-tomentellae; capitula 

 numerosa, discoidea, ut videtur homogama, 5-7 mm. crassa; involucri 

 bracteae pluriseriatae, adpressae, subscariosae, exteriores ovato- 

 ellipticae, interiores elongatae, omnes obtusae, in dorso sericeo-tomen- 

 tellae; receptacula plana, nuda. Flores visi omnes hermaphroditi, 

 numerosi, circiter 10-12 mm. longi, rubicundi; pappi setae albae, 

 biseriatae, exteriores interioribus 3-4-plo breviores, achaenio vix 

 aequilongae, interiores corollam subaequantes; corolla extus pilis glan- 

 dulosis paucis obsita, lobis lanceolatis tubo 3-plo brevioribus; antherae 

 basi caudatae; stylus pro genere normalis, apice bifidus et pilosus; 

 achaenia immatura tetragona, sparse pilosa. 



Western Szech'uan: Kiating Fu, thickets, alt. 100-800 m., Sep- 

 tember 1908 (No. 3403; bush 1.50-5 m. tall, flowers pink). 



Judging by the bracts of the involucre, the style and the anthers this plant 

 belongs to the genus Pluchea as fixed by Hoffmann in Engler & Prantl, Nat. 

 Pflanzenfam. IV. 5. Abt. 176 (1890), but, so far as I know, all the species hitherto 

 described have a l-serrate pappus. It looks different from all the species of this 

 genus or of Blumea known from Asia. Further observations are needed to determine 

 if our plant belongs to Pluchea, but I know of no other genus to which it could be 

 referred. 



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