132 SIE R. H. SCIIOMBUBWK ON THE FIG BANANA. 



family of the Orchidacece ; my account of which is publislied in the 

 " Linnean Transactions," vol. xvii. p. 551. 



I have to regret that I did not see the raceme of the Banana, 

 now under consideration, when it was in flower, or at any early 

 state of its growth ; for, although it was produced in a garden 

 within the city, I knew nothing of it, until it was sent to me by 

 President Baez ; but as the flowers of Plantains and Bananas, 

 including all the different varieties of the latter, are so much 

 alike, even a botanist might have passed the tree without his at- 

 tention being attracted ; and this remarkable play of nature would 

 only become observable when the lower series of flowers com- 

 menced to form themselves into fruits. 



It affords, however, an additional instance in favour of the 

 opinion which I have already expressed (when giving an account 

 in the " Linnean Transactions " of the production of flowers on the 

 same spikes of three different presumed genera of the order Or- 

 chidacece), that with regard to genera and species, we must prepare 

 ourselves for remarkable discoveries. 



Plants under cultivation are much more subjected to such freaks 

 of nature, than when growing in their own soil and climate, left 

 to themselves. I know, from my own experience in Saint Do- 

 mingo, how little reliance can be placed upon the colours of fancy 

 flowers, such as roses, dahlias, pinks, asters, <fec.: even in cases 

 where the mother-plant from which came the cuttings (in the 

 case of roses or pinks), the roots (in the case of dahlias), or seeds 

 (in the case of asters, &c.), were double, single flowers have suc- 

 ceeded. For example, cuttings from roses of the China-stock will, 

 notwithstanding their having produced one year flowers of the 

 variety of which they bear the name, revert perhaps the next year 

 or later to the Chinese rose of old standing ; and with regard to 

 dahlias, they have produced single and double flowers of different 

 colours on the same plant in my little garden. The latter hap- 

 pened in a very remarkable degree in a dahlia called " the Butter- 

 fly," which the second year produced double and single flowers on 

 the same plant ; here white, the leaves edged with maroon ; there 

 of a uniform deep maroon colour. 



