284 CHINESE ECONOMIC TEEES 



parted; corolla deeply divided into 4 (5 or 6) elongated lobes; stamens 

 2, rarely 4, inserted on the corolla; ovary superior, 2 celled; style short; 

 stigma 2 lobed. Fruit a fleshy, ovoid, 1 seeded drupe. 



Two species, 1 in N. America, the other in China. The American 

 species, called the Fringe Tree, is a common garden plant cultivated 

 especially for its abundant white flowers. 



Chionanthus retusus Lin tl ley & Paxton. 

 (Chionanthus chinensis Maximowicz.) 

 Chinese Fringe Tree. 



Shrub or tree to 10 m. tall. Young shoots tomentose. Leaves 

 obovate to oval or oblong-ovate, acute, rounded or emarginate at the 

 apex, tapered at the base, deep shiny green above, pubescent along the 

 veins below, 2.5-4 cm. long; petiole to 12 cm. long, densely pubescent. 

 Flowers dioecious, snowy white, fragrant, in erect panicles opening in 

 early summer; petals strap-shaped, to 2 cm. long. Drupe dark blue, 

 ovoid, to 13 cm. long. 



Hupeh, Szechuan, Yunnan, Kwangtung, Shensi, Shantung, Chihli, 

 Korea, Japan, and Formosa. 



The leaves of the seedlings and young plants of this tree are more 

 or less finely toothed. 



OSMANTHUS 



Evergreen shrubs or trees. Leaves usually opposite, entire or 

 toothed, short petioled. Flowers perfect, polygamous or dioecious, in 

 axillary or terminal cymes or panicles; calyx 4 parted or toothed; 

 corolla tubular with 4 elliptic, obtuse, imbricated lobes; stamens 2 

 (rarely 4) on the corolla tube; ovary 2 celled; style 2 lobed or nearly 

 entire. Fruit an ovoid or globose drupe, with a 1 seeded stone. 



About 8 species: Himalayas, China, Japan to North America. 



Osmanthus fragrans (Thurb.) Louriero. 

 (Olea fragrans Thunberg.) Kwei Hua. 



Shrub or tree to 10 m. tall. Leaves coriaceous, entire or serrate, 

 reticulate beneath, elliptic to lanceolate, acute or acuminate, cuneate at 

 the base, to 17 cm. long; petiole to 2 cm. long. Flowers white, very 



