BULLETIN NO. 31. 
A few interesting trees flower in the Arboretum after the middle of 
summer. The first of these is already in bloom. This is the Chinese 
Koelreuteria paniculata, a small tree with large, handsome, pinnate 
leaves and large erect clusters of bright yellow flowers v/hich are fol- 
lowed by conspicuous bladder-like fruits. No other tree has flowers of a 
more beautiful yellow color, and no other summer-blooming tree here is 
so conspicuous when it flowers. Koelreuteria is much cultivated in the 
gardens of Peking, and in western China it is common in hot dry valleys. 
It is therefore well suited to withstand heat and drought as well as cold. 
It can be seen on the right-hand side of the Meadow Road between the 
Evonymus and Horsechestnut groups, its relationship being with the 
Horsechestnuts and with the Maples. 
Another Chinese tree will soon be in flower. This is Sophora japonica, 
a member of the Pea Family, with green branchlets, very dark green 
pinnate leaves and narrow erect clusters of creamy white flowers. The 
very large and old individuals of this tree with dark, deeply-furrowed 
bark which are growing in Peking look at a little distance like Oak trees. 
First known by Europeans in Japan it was called, like some other Chinese 
plants, japonica, although it was brought from China' to Japa« with 
many other plants cultivated by the Japanese and is not a native of the 
Island Empire. There is a form of this tree with weeping branches 
which rarely flowers. These trees can be seen on the right-hand side 
of the Bussey Hill Road opposite the head of the Lilac Group. There 
is also a fine specimen of Sophora japonica in the Public Garden of 
Boston. 
Next to the Sophoras there is a group of the eastern Siberian Maackia 
amurensis, which is now in flower. This is a small tree and the 
only representative of its genus related to the eastern American and 
Chinese Cladrastis or Yellowwood. Maackia, however, has reddish bark, 
much smaller leaves, short erect spikes of creamy white inconspicuous 
flowers and scaly buds. Of much interest botanically, Maackia is of 
little ornamental value and probably will never be very often seen in this 
country outside of botanical collections. 
Much more conspicuous and an object of great interest always to visi- 
tors to the Arboretum is Acanthopanax ricinifolium. This member of 
the Aralia Family is not an uncommon inhabitant of the forests of the 
northern island of Japan and grows also in Korea ; it is a large tree with 
dark deeply furrowed bark, stout spreading branches which, however, 
are nearly erect on young trees and more or less armed like the trunk 
with short stout spines, and large, palmately lobed dark green leaves 
drooping on long stalks. In size and shape the leaves resemble those of 
the Castor-oil plant, Ricinus, a fact to which this tree owes its specific 
name. The small white flowers are produced in broad, flat, compound 
clusters and are followed in the autumn by shining black, berry-like 
fruits. Acanthopanax ricinifolium was raised at the Arboretum from 
seeds brought from Japan in 1892 by Professor Sargent ; it has grown 
here rapidly and is perfectly hardy. There are two plants in the Aralia 
Group by the pond at the junction of the Meadow and Bussey Hill Roads, 
and there is a plant beyond the Platanus Group at the Centre Street en- 
trance, and another in the mixed plantation on Peter’s Hill. 
Two other trees of the Aralia Family are also still to flower. These 
are the Hercules’ Club, Aralia spinosa of the southern states, and its 
