176 
WANDERINGS IN CHINA. 
Chap. XI. 
near the top of the highest mountains, which were 
covered with low-growing shrubs, grasses, and other 
t^herbaceous plants. 
^ I met with one or two new plants, which deserve par- 
ticular notice. One of them was a very beautiful species 
of Hydrangea ; another was a species of Spircea, with 
red flowers, not unlike the S. hella in colour, but having 
a different habit. A fine species oi Ahelia was also met 
^with on the Fokien side of the mountains, which will 
probably be a favourite in English gardens. Its flowers 
are as large as those of the Weigela rosea, of a blueish 
tinge, and bloom in great profusion for a long time. 
When I first saw this plant I took it to be the Ahelia 
chinensis of Brown, but I observe that Dr. Lindley, to 
whom the plant was sent for examination, calls it 
A. uniflora. It is a curious circumstance that Dr. 
Abel, after whom the genus was named, discovered 
his plant on the same mountains, about a hundred 
miles to the north-west of the spot where the Ahelia 
uniflora was found. He was then on his way with the 
embassy from Peking to Canton. 
I dug up, from time to time, living plants of all these 
species, and took them on with me. Many a time I 
thought I should be obliged to leave them behind me, 
for the Chinamen could not see the propriety of being 
burdened with what they considered weeds, and of no 
value ; however, by dint of determination and perse- 
verance, by sometimes using promises and sometimes 
threats, I got them carried several hundred miles in 
safety, and at last deposited them in the garden of my 
friend Mr. Beale at Shanghae. They are now in Europe, 
