(1997)  
 
The wild Chinese form of this species (f. normalis) was reintroduced by Roy Lancaster from the Yiba Shan in western Szechwan in 1981 (L.817). It has flowered, and is likely to prove very distinct from the Japanese form long grown in gardens, both in habit and foliage. The plants seen by Wilson in western Szechwan early this century were only 2-4 ft high, with obovate or narrowly ovate leaflets. The Japanese plants grow much taller and their leaflets are mostly elliptic or oblong-elliptic. The main difference, however, is that in the latter the leaflets are downy beneath. Plants of Japanese provenance can be distinguished as var. hirtula (Reg.) Rehd. & Wils.