TREES AND SHRUBS. 



VIBITBNUM PKOPINQUUM, Hemsl. 



Viburnum propinquum, Hemsley, Jour. Linn. Soc. xxiii. 355(1888).— Grabner, Enqler Bot. 

 Jahrb. xxix. 587. 



Leaves coriaceous or chartaceous, persistent, elliptic to elliptic-oblong or ovate to ovate- 

 lanceolate, acuminate, narrowed or rarely almost rounded at the base, remotely denticulate usually 

 only above the middle, conspicuously three-nerved, glabrous, dark yellowish green above, paler 

 green beneath, from 4 to 9 centimetres long and from 1.5 to 3.5 centimetres broad ; petioles 

 slender, from 6 to 15 millimetres in length. Corymbs umbel-like, terminal, glabrous, from 4 to 7 

 centimetres in diameter, on slender peduncles from 1.5 to 2.5 centimetres in length ; rays usually 

 seven; flowers small, on raylets of the second order, with slender pedicels; calyx-lobes broadly 

 triangular-ovate, obtuse, about 0.5 millimetres long ; corolla greenish white, rotate, about 4 milli- 

 metres in diameter, with long hairs inside at the base ; the lobes broadly ovate, 1 millimetre in 

 length, about as long as the tube ; stamens as long as the corolla ; anthers suborbicular, yellow ; 

 ovary turbinate. Drupe shining, bluish black, globose-ovoid, crowned by the persistent style^ 

 from 5 to 6 millimetres long and from 3.5 to 4 millimetres thick; stone yellowish white, smooth; 

 seed with a brown finely reticulate testa and deeply ruminate albumen. 



A shrub, with reddish brown lustrous branches marked by small lenticels. Winter-buds small, 

 covered by two pointed scales. Leaves apparently purplish when unfolding. 



Central and western China : Hupeh, A. Henry (Nos. 3415, 3415 A, 4313, 5221, 5225, 6658, 

 7745), E. H. Wilson (No. 382), Szech'uan, E. H Wilson (No. 3727), Nanchuan, von Rosthorn 

 (ex Grabner). 



Viburnum propinquum forms with Viburnum cinnamomifolium, Rehder, and Viburnum Davidi, Franchet, a rather 

 distinct group of the section Tinus, well characterized by the three-nerved leaves. By this character it much resembles 

 Viburnum sempervirens, K. Koch, which, however, differs widely in its fruit. Viburnum propinquum varies much in 

 the shape, size, texture, and serration of its foliage. A small-leaved form is 



Viburnum propinquum, var. parvipolium, Grabner, Engler Bot. Jahrb. xxix. 587 (1901). 



Leaves ovate, acuminate, not exceeding 4 centimetres in length ; fruits globose, 3 millimetres long, brown and 

 lustrous. 



Szech'uan, Nan-chuan, Ta-kuo-kou, von Rosthorn (ex Grabner). 



This species is now in cultivation at the Veitchian nurseries, where it was introduced through Wilson, who sent seeds 

 collected in 1901. 1 Its chief ornamental value is found in the handsome evergreen foliage and the glossy bluish black 

 fruits. The flowers, like those of Viburnum cinnamomifolium, are too small and too dull in color to rival those of 

 most of the other species of the genus. 



Alfred Rehder. 



Arnold Arboretum. 



