Syn. S. Hookeriana var. humilis Rehd. & Wils. in Sargent, Plant. Wilson. II. 164 (1914) Rehder in Bailey, Stand. Cycl. Hort. VI. 3077 (1917) et Man. Cult. Trees & Shrubs, 531 (1927); B.O.M. in Gard. Chron. Ser. 3, LXXXVII. 285, fig. 115 (1930). The species illustrated was first collected by Augustine Henry in 1888, at Wushan, eastern Szechwan (no. 7065), and at Changyang, western Hupeh (no. 7834). Subsequently E. H. Wilson collected it during his expedition for Messrs. Veitch in 1900, first in April (no. 50) and again in November when he obtained seed at Wushan (seed no. 900), by means of which the species was brought into cultivation in this country. It has also been collected at Mengtze in south-east Yunnan by Henry, and near Yunnan-fu by Maire and by Forrest. In 1911, Dr. O. Stapf (l.c.) described the Henry and Wilson collectings from Hupeh and Szechwan as a new species closely allied to S. Hookeriana Baill., but differing essentially in its smaller stature and shorter leaves broader in proportion to their length. Three years later, Rehder and Wilson (1.c.) distinguished a new variety, var. humilis Rehd. and Wils., of S. Hookeriana, based on exactly the same collectings as Stapf's S. humilis, apparently in ignorance of his work. The plant thus came to be treated, from the taxonomic standpoint, in two different ways. On one point there is agreement; whether regarded as a species or as a variety, the plant has always been considered distinctive enough to be readily recognised, and hence it might be suggested that for practical purposes it would be more convenient to retain the binary name.

S. Hookeriana var. humilis Rehd. & Wils. in Sargent

(1914) Rehder in Bailey