^sculus 207 



lobed. Petals four or five, claws not longer than the calyx ; stamens exserted. 

 This section includes all the old-world species. 



1. yEsculus Hippocastanum, Linnaeus. Greece. 



2. Aisculus indica, Colebrooke. Afghanistan, north-western Himalaya. 



3. ^sculus punduana, Wallich, List 1189 (1828). Sikkim, western Duars, 

 Khasia Hills, Upper Burma, Tenasserim, Siam, Tonking. Large tree. Leaflets 

 six to seven, very large, thinly coriaceous, stalked, acuminate, serrate. Panicles 

 12 to 15 inches or more, flowers white or yellow. Fruit brown, smooth. 



Not introduced and not likely to be hardy. 



4. Alscidus chinensis, Bunge, Etmin. PI. Chin. Dor. 10(1835). Northern and 

 Central China. A tree, 40 to 50 feet high. Leaflets five to seven, large, stalked, 

 obovate-oblong, rounded at the base, abruptly acuminate at the apex, finely serrate, 

 shining above, glabrescent below except for pubescence along the nerves, petioles 

 pubescent. Panicles, 8 inches long, pubescent. Flowers small, white ; sepals 

 shortly and unequally five-lobed, pubescent. Petals four, minute. Filaments 

 glabrous. Fruit ^ pear-shaped or globular, small (f inch diameter), one-celled, three- 

 valved, brown, covered with warts, not spiny. 



This species has been much confused with the next, from which it differs in 

 every way. The flowers, though small, are numerous in the large panicle, and the 

 foliage is very handsome. It is common enough in the mountains of central China, 

 in Shansi, and in the hills to the west of Peking ; and when introduced is likely to 

 prove hardy in England. 



5. ySsculus turbinata, Blume. Japan. 



H. Pavia. Buds not resinous. Calyx tubular, five-toothed. Petals four, 

 yellow or scarlet. 



6. Aiscidus glabra, Willdenow. North America. 



7. yEsculus octandra, Marshall. North America. 



8. ^sculus Pavia, Linnaeus, Sp. PI. 344 (1753); Bot. Reg. t. 993 (1826). 

 Middle United States. A shrub. Leaves with slender grooved petioles, the edges 

 of the grooves jagged. Leaflets five, obovate, acute at the base, acuminate at the 

 apex, finely serrate without cilia, slightly pubescent beneath. Flowers in loose 

 panicles, 4 to 7 inches long. Petals red, meeting at the tips ; upper pair longer, 

 with claws about three times as long as the small spathulate limb ; lateral pair 

 shorter, with claws as long as the calyx, and rounded limb equalling the claw 

 in length ; margin of petals beset with minute dark glands. Stamens as long 

 as the upper pair of petals. Fruit brown, without spines. 



This species, though only a shrub, is mentioned here at some length, as it closely 

 resembles y^scuhis octandra, and moreover enters into such important hybrids as 

 ^sculus carnea, versicolor, etc. All its hybrids may be recognised by the red colour of 

 the flowers and the glandular margin of the petals. It is readily distinguished from 

 ^Esculus octandra by its smaller leaves and peculiar petioles. In winter it shows the 

 following characters : — Twigs slender, glabrous, shining, with numerous lenticels. 



' Cf. Hance mjotiiti. Bot. viii, 312 (1S70), 



