warmer parts of the United Kingdom, was introduced into 
the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in 1842 by the Rev. W. 
Colenso. Somewhat variable in the character of its foliage, 
Mr. Colenso has recognised as distinct four different and 
fairly recognisable forms naturally encountered. Mr. Cheese- 
man has described it as forming dense thick elastic masses 
many feet in diameter or climbing over bushes or rocks. 
At Kew it exhibits the same features, but it is here unfortu- 
nately liable to partial injury from frost, so that large masses 
are apt to become disfigured. The material for our illus- 
tration was obtained froma specimen sent from Herm Island, 
Guernsey, by Mr. D. Hill, Herga, Watford. The perianth 
in fruit is accrescent, and becomes glistening white. 
Description.—fHerbs with thin, woody, reddish-brown, 
scabrid or finely warted stems, growing gregariously and 
forming dense tufted masses or climbing over shrubs or 
rocks, Leaves orbicular or shortly oblong, entire or pandur- 
ately contracted about the middle, obtuse or emarginate at 
the apex, cordate or rounded at the base, }—1 in. long, 1-3 
in, wide, glabrous on both sides, with slightly thickened 
edge ; petiole slender, rather shorter than the leaf-blade; 
stipules deciduous. Flowers dioecious or polygamo-dioecious. 
Spikes axillary, about 2 in. long, sessile or shortly peduncled ; 
bracteoles wide-ovate, 1 lin. long, brown, scarious, mucronate 
on the back a little below the tip, ciliate. Perianth white 
or greenish, deeply 5-lobed, 2 lin. long; the lobes oblong, 
blunt. Stamens 8. Female perianth as in the male flower. 
Disk short, irregularly lobed. Ovary 3-lobed ; stigma 
3-lobed, large, papillose. Nutlets black, shining, enclosed 
in the fleshy glistening enlarged perianth, which becomes 
white as the fruit ripens. 
Fig. 1, section of a female flower, showin: istil ; isti 
( ver, g the pistil; 2, the same, pistil 
removed, showing the disk ; 3, a pistil; 4, ripe fruit, enclosed in the aceesialel 
perianth ; 5, the same in section, showing the nutlet :—all enlarged. 
