47 
(3 spp.), Anneslea, are quite strange to one coming from Mengize. 
I have just found Quereus lamellosa, a splendid tree, with 
enormous beautiful acorns and very pretty foliage. The seeds of 
the Castanopsis are edible, fairly so, and I daresay if as much 
of the tree brings the seeds down in zen e ae small we 
are provided with a mallet for this purpose. I came across a 
Buddleia the other day (of which you grita aie cimens trom 
Mengtze). It has very thick coriaceous leaves, covered with white 
own underneath ; and, growing as it does in masses on the 
highest parts of the mountains, it is very effective. The curious 
Pyrus Delavayi is very common here, and occurs also high up. 
It has large fruits, very like an apple, and fairly edible ; indeed, it 
is the best wild Pyrus I have tasted. The ovules are four in ea ach 
ren thus establishing a passage to the quince. Of these last two 
send seeds. 
fus Ses o Era u now are three species Desmodium, 
which a The Cyrtandree are numerous, an 
quite distinct Yon Kos of Mengtze. Of one era little one, 
with orange flowers, I have obtained a lot of seed. The natural 
orders here are represented very peculiarly. I haven’t seen a 
Crucifer ; and Compositæ will, I think, rank in number of species 
uite below many orders. One, a Ver nonia, is a dee sized tree. 
nd of 
icus, of course, is strongly B dicitis and i every ki 
habi One h inflorescences borne on long peu pr which 
start m the root and lower part of the branch and stretch 
over the ground for 20, 30, or more feet. haven't seen a 
rose, but, as usual, I have two or three very gene Rubi. 
Ardisia is very MIR Be ; and, very curiously, all 
occur together, 7.¢., all in ravines, and they flower ve 
at the same time ; so tiefe does not seem to be any competition 
h i e frui 
remain on for several months, red or black, as the case may be. 
Just now the most S Md ard thing is the occurrence of so 
many kinds of white berries of a consistency like jelly. ie 
is common in Cyrtandree, certain Rubiaceæ, and even the 
nutlets of some woody Labiatæ are of this curious en e, 
not to speak of Mesa, Chloranthus, &c. None of these occurred 
at Mengtze, so far as I saw, although, of course, some were 
collected for me in the more distant PUMA Rhododendron 
only two species, but very beautiful shru 
By a glance at the newly-described d you will see that 
quite a number came from Mi-Le, which is considerably north of 
engtze ; and I think the north-east of Yunnan and Kweichow 
mere scratch of an exploration. Hundreds of such trips can be 
made in Szechwan, Hupeh, Kweichow, and Shensi, and you may 
quote this opinion to people who wish to get out the seed- 
e rsen E I advocated. In fact, iene the great region 
nort , of the Himalayas is explored, people 
