On Itoa, a New Genus of Bixinese. 



By 

 W. Sotting Hemsley, F. R. S. 



The following valuable note, containing news of a discovery in the 

 province of Yunnan in South China of a new genus of Bixineas, was re- 

 ceived from Mr. W. Botting Hemsley, F.R.S., of the Royal Gardens, Kew, 

 England, who has graciously honoured my grandfather and myself by asso- 

 ciating our name with the interesting novelty. Mr. Hemsley is well-known 

 to our Japanese confreres as a distinguished botanist and as the author of 

 various important works on systematic botany, amongst which the " Index 

 Floras Sinensis " is indispensable to students of the eastern asiatic flora. 



The new genus, Itoa, appears from an inspection of a drawing kindly 

 sent to us by Mr. Hemsley to be a superb tree, with large and elegant 

 leaves, beautifully panicled inflorescence, and with each capsule as large as 

 a hen's egg. 



We tender our best thanks to Mr. Hemsley and the other authorities 

 of Kew for their courtesy and assure them of the high respect in which 

 we hold all their communications coming, as they do, from one of the 

 greatest botanical institution of the world. 



Tokutaro Ito. 



Royal Gardens, Kew, Nov. 1, 1900. 

 Dear Dr. Ito, 



I fear you will deem me a very bad correspondent, but 

 you know what a busy establishment Kew is, and until lately I have been 

 in very bad health for nearly two years. 



I now write to tell you that I have dedicated a new genus of Bixi- 

 neae to your venerable grandfather, in the first place, and to yourself, in 

 the second place. As I have adopted the family name, and designated 

 my genus Itoa, it may serve to commemorate your joint services to Botany. 



