Occurring at 1800 – 2500m altitude in mountain forests of Sichuan and Yunnan, China, the noble lime, Tilia nobilis, can grow to 20m in height.  It has large, ovate leaves with shallow toothing on the leaf margins.  The flowers are relatively inconspicuous, with each inflorescence having 9 – 13 individual flowers.  The floral bracts are a transluscent pale green, reaching 15cm in length, and it is these which are the key feature of this species.  This specimen was accessioned to the Garden in 1995, having been collected from Emei Shan, Sichuan, by Keith Rushforth, and has proved a welcome addition to our extensive collection of lime trees.