214 Takeda— Old World Species of the Genus Mahonia. 



fully his opinion of the existing classifications or to put forward 

 a new one, since his observations have been made only on a 

 limited number of species most of which are represented by 

 specimens of flower or of fruit alone. Certain species, the type 

 specimens of which exist only in some continental herbaria, are 

 known to the writer only from descriptions. In such cases it is 

 not always possible to form an adequate idea of those species 

 and to find out their exact relationship to other species. Under 

 such circumstances no definite view as to the affinity is expressed 

 in the following pages. The writer may however call attention 

 to the fact that the relative length of sepals — whether the 

 outermost ones are markedly shorter than, or nearly equal 

 in length to, those of the other whorls — may possibly show 

 natural relationship. Unfortunately the writer has been unable 

 to examine this point in all the species, and must leave it 

 undecided. 



As a result of the present investigation, there are ten or 

 possibly eleven species occurring in India, twenty-four or twenty- 

 five species in China, three or possibly more species in Formosa, 

 and one species in each of the following regions — Malacca, Annam, 

 Siam, Java, Burma, and the Philippine Islands. In Japan we 

 have M . japonica, DC. which is frequently cultivated in gardens. 

 Strangely enough its native country is up to the present unknown. 

 According to Chikinsho, a Japanese gardening manual, a Mahonia 

 was imported into Japan in 1684. It is however not certain 

 whether this was M. japonica or M. Fortunei* nor in what 

 country it originated. 



The present study was commenced in 191 2 and, though very 

 much interrupted, has been carried out in the Kew Herbarium. 

 During that time the writer had the privilege of examining all 

 the specimens preserved in the Herbarium, Royal Botanic 

 Garden, Edinburgh, and also the Indian specimens in the 

 Herbarium, Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta. In addition to 

 those, most of the specimens kept in the British Museum have 

 also been consulted. The writer expresses his sincere thanks to 

 the authorities of the above-mentioned establishments for their 

 courtesy in allowing him to study the valuable specimens. The 

 writer is indebted to Dr. B. Hayata for giving him an opportunity 

 of examining specimens from the remoter parts of Formosa when 

 he visited Japan in 1913. The writer also takes this opportunity 

 of thanking Mr. J. S. Gamble for the loan of the Indian specimens 

 of his own herbarium. 



