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The tree is without near relations in our extant flora and when Mr. ARCHIBALD LITTLE described to me in 1903 a most remarkable tree, like. Ginkgo, which he had seen near Chengtu, I begged him, if again in that neighbourhood, to revisit the spot and secure details for investigation. Accordingly when Mr. and Mrs. LIFTLE were near Chengtu in April of last year they most kindly made a detour of 140 b, took several photographs of the tree and sent them to Hongkong with an interest- ing description. The tree proved to be, not a variety, but a very old specimen of of the true Ginkgo, covered with the peculiar outgrowths to which the species is subject in old age. The outgrowths take the form of cylinders varying from a few inches to several feet in length and about 4 inches thick, pendant from the trunk and lower branches. Enquiry was made from Professor MATSUMARA of Tokyo as to the occurrence of similar trees in Japan and he most courteously sent me a copy of Fucu's paper on the subject in which the occurrence and origin of the outgrowths are described in detail. They are considered to be merely malformations and are commonly met with on old trees in Japan. The above instance, however, is the only one of which I am aware in China.
Flora of South East Kwantung.-In July and August, 1903, a Chinese collector was sent to explore Sze-tse Shan, a mountain in Kwantang Province 70 miles to the west of Hongkong and near the city of Sanning, and to make collections of plants there and in the surrounding country. Sze-tse Shan, like many of the mountains in South Kwantung, is densely covered in most parts with Bamboo. It has much the same flora as Tai-mo Shan. The mountains to the west of Sanning are well wooded on their lower slopes, but have grassy tops. At the foot of these hills, near the village of Ng Sap, are some hot springs. All these localities were visited and an interesting collection of plants brought back, containing a new genus of Rubiaceae and several new species. Not the least interesting of the discoveries was that of a second locality for Symplocos urceolaris, Hance, and for Randia densiflora, Benth. The former was only once collected before on the West River in 1876, the latter was identified as a Chinese plant only from Hongkong.
Flora of Hunan. Captain LIGHT of the 114th Mahrattas, on his return from a trip in Hunan in September, brought to the Herbarium a number of speci- mens of plants which he had hastily gathered en route. It well illustrates the present state of our knowledge of the flora of China when we find that out of these plants, 3 proved to be new to China, 24 new to Hunan, and 3 new to Fokien. Capt. LIGHT is to be congratulated on having made this valuable collection in spite of having no adequate collecting outfit; the specimens were pressed and brought home in a book about 6" x 4" In order that zeal of this kind might be better utilized in future for the benefit of science, an assurance was sent to Head Quarters and appeared in Orders-that any military officer intending to visit the interior and wishing to be provided with collecting outfit could be so accommodated on application to this Department.
Flora of North-East Kicantung.-In September and October three Chinese collectors were dispatched to Hoi Fang, about 100 miles up the coast, with instruc- tions to proceed inland to the Lien Fa Mountains, to explore these and then, crossing them, to make collections on the further side round the sources of the Han. They succeeded in carrying out this program and brought back an interest- ing collection. Among the most important discoveries was that of Manglietia fordiana, Hemsl., only previously known as a single tree in Hongkong and that in a precarious state owing to its failure to propagate itself or to admit of artificial propagation. The tree was found in fruit and seeds were brought back, some of which were sent to Kew. The collection is not completely worked out, but enough has been done to show that the flora of these mountains is an extension of that of the Lo Fou Mountains, well known from the labours of SAMPSOM, FABER, and FORD. A large number of the interesting species discovered there by these collectors are repeated in Lien Fa Shan. The numbers for this collection in the Colonial Herbarium are from 1535-1684 and 1825-1894.
Examination of the Constituents of Natural Forest in Hongkong.-The largest natural wood left by our Chinese predecessors is near Little Hongkong Village. About 500 acres of the hillsides above the village are densely covered with wild trees having an average height of about 20 feet and containing individuals up to 40 and 50 feet high. With a view to sampling the botanical constitution of the wood, an acre was marked out and all the trees over 9 inches in girth measured and identified.