are of the richest scarlet. This raceme continued in great beauty 
for two months, and when looked down upon from the gallery 
above, backed as it was by dark-green foliage, it presented a 
beautiful object. The drawing was made in July. 
Descr. A subarboreous plant, with simple or scarcely divided, 
sulcated, erect stems, twenty to thirty feet high; leafy from 
below to the top. eaves alternate, distant, dark green, a foot 
or more long, horizontally patent, cordato-ovate, semiamplexi- 
caul, sessile, acute or acuminate, strongly nerved, wrinkled and 
reticulated, subbullate. Raceme terminal, subsessile, erect, two 
or more feet long, the flowers so numerous and dense that they 
appear to form a compact cylindrical spike ; every part of a rich 
scarlet colour, save the stigmas, which are yellow. Pedicels 
in clusters. Perianth articulated on the pedicel; éwbe fumnel- — 
shaped; mb cut into 4-6 rounded concave lobes. Stamens 
8—12, monadelphous below. Anthers cordate, subapiculate. Ovary 
oblong-rhomboid, triquetrous, red. Styles 3. Stigmas capitate. 
Fruit baccate, red. W. J. H. 
Cutt. The genera Coccoloba, Triplaris, and Podoptera are 
the tropical representatives of the Order Polygonee, and may 
be viewed as examples of the genera Rheum, Rumex, and 
Polygonum, taking the form of trees or shrubs. They are natives 
of the West Indies and tropical America, and often attain a 
considerable height. They generally have large entire coriaceous 
leaves, and bear spikes or racemes of flowers, succeeded by 
bunches of berry-like fruit, which, as many of the species inhabit 
the shores, have given rise to the English name, ‘ sea-side grapes.’ 
‘The present species appears to be a tall-growing tree: our plant 
is now ten feet high, and, with its broad stiff leaves and long 
erect spike of red flowers, has a very striking appearance. It 
requires to be kept in the stove, grows freely in light loam, 
and may be increased by cuttings treated in the usual way for 
tropical plants of like nature. J. 8. 
Fig. 1. Flower. 2. Pistil. 3. Young fruit :—magnified. 4. Reduced repre- 
sentation of an entire plant. (The rest of the natural size.) 
