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seen during the wet season. Interplanted with the bamboos 

 are several specimens of Spathodea campamdata which make 

 a fine display during the flowering season. 



Proceeding on the main route, note on the right specimens 

 of Thevetia nerifolia, a plant with glossy foliage and yellow 

 flowers, which yields the " lucky seeds " so much in request 

 for wearing as charms in the West Indies. The milky juice of 

 this plant is poisonous. On the left is Mimusops Schimperi, 

 a native of Abyssinia, said to be the Persea of ancient writers ; 

 Khaya senegalensis , the source of African mahogany ; and 

 the Potato tree, Solarium macranthum, which bears large 

 white and blue flowers. This plant is remarkable in being 

 one of the few of the Potato family, to which order of plants 

 it belongs, that take the form of a tree. Next are specimens of 

 Amherstia nobilis, a very handsome flowering tree of Burma, 

 and considered by some to be the finest of the flowering trees 

 of the tropics. The flowers are of a salmon and yellow colour 

 and are arranged on long pinkish coloured stems which hang 

 down from the branches among the dark green foliage. The 

 young shoots have a similar drooping habit, and during the 

 growing period are an object of great beauty, the young leaves 

 being of a brownish hue, and prettily marked with dark brown 

 blotches. 



Passing the north end of the Mahogany Avenue, made up 

 of trees of Swietenia Mahagoni, and of Swietenia macrophylla, 

 observe the two species, the former being the mahogany 

 commonly grown in the West Indian Islands, and the latter 

 the source of Honduras mahogany, and a rare plant in these 

 islands at the present time. On the right is a small palmetum 

 consisting of over thirty specimens. Conspicuous amongst 

 them are the Cohune palm, Attalea cohune ; Bentinckia 

 nicobarica ; Licuala elegans ; various species of Sabal, 

 Ptychoraphis, Cocos, Hyophorbe, and others. It is not 

 necessary in a Guide Book to enumerate all the palms grown 

 in the Gardens, but it may be stated that over 100 species 

 representing fifty- two genera are grown, and that the collection 

 is being increased each year. The large trees growing on the 

 slopes behind the palms are Tectona grandis, the Teak tree of 

 India and Burma, which yields a valuable timber of great 

 durability ; a local tree known as Resinier Grande Feuille, 



