244 GARDENS AND ORANGE GROUNDS OF ST. MICHAEL'S. 



in the open air. Metrosideros speciosa surpasses in brightness 

 of colour when in bloom any of the Rhododendrons. I saw 

 one plant in the garden of an old Jesuit college, fifteen feet high, 

 clothed with spreading branches to the ground, and covered 

 with hundreds of bright scarlet feathery flowers ; in fact, this 

 plant and Poinsettia pvdcherrinia are the brightest coloured 

 plants yet introduced. We have Telopea speciosissima in St. 

 Michael's ; but it has not yet equalled the abovenamed plants in 

 beauty. Any one unaccustomed to see the gorgeous Poinsettia 

 in perfection must be astonished at the effect it produces ; its 

 broad deep green foliage well sustaining the glare of bright 

 scarlet furnished by its noble bracts. Brugmansia suaveolens is 

 another plant of great beauty, producing its delicate white 

 flowers four and five times a year. In many parts of the city of 

 Ponta Delgado it is planted in the court yards, and overhangs 

 the streets, filling the whole air in the evening with its delicious 

 odour, a thing particularly desirable in a Portuguese town. 

 Edwardsia microphylla and grandiflora. Oleanders, Myrtles, 

 Eugenias, Oestrums, Aralia spinosa and triphylla. Hibiscuses, 

 Azaleas, Gardenia florida and radicans, Franciscea latifolia, 

 Burchellia capensis, Tristania neriifolia, Melastoinas, Escalio- 

 nias, Diosmas, Clethras, Clianthus puniceus, Clerodendrons, 

 Corraeas, Coronilla glauca, Cassias, Ardisia crenulata. Acacias, 

 Abutilon striatum and Bedfordianum, Achanias, Brunsfelsia ame- 

 ricana, Buddlea madagascariensis and Lindleyana, Indigoferas, 

 Ingas, Juanulloa aurantiaca, Amorpha fruticosa, Anagyris foetida, 

 Anthyllis Barba-jovis, Amsonia salicifolia, Beaufortias, Ben- 

 thamia fragifera, Buxus, Calycanthus, Callistachys, Chimo- 

 nanthus, Caraganas, Cistuses, Cotoneasters, Cornus, Rhamnuses, 

 Daubentonia, Deutzias, Durantas, Eranthemums, Justicias, Euo- 

 nymuses, Fabiana, Eutaxia myrtifolia, Garrya elliptica, Ge- 

 nistas, Gnidias, Habrothamnus, Ligustrums, Leycesteria formosa. 

 Berberries, Mimosas, Olea fragrans, Phlomis, Piraeleas, Pip- 

 tanthus, Plumbago capensis, rosea, scandens, Larpentse, Podo- 

 lyrias, Polygalas, Pultensea, Rhus cotinus, Ricinus communis, 

 Jatrophas, Russelia juncea, Spiraeas, Stachytarpheta, Temple- 

 tonia, Cytisuses, Lantanas, Fuchsias, Roses, and Pelargoniums, 

 all grow together in the open borders in rich luxuriance. 



I must not omit to mention the following climbing and her- 

 baceous plants in order to show how complete the Hortus 

 Michaelensis is, and how much more so it, or any country pos- 

 sessing a similar climate, might be made. Ipomoias and Big- 

 nonias produce their showy flowers at every season of tlie year. 

 B. venustaand I. rubro-caerulea bloom from November to March, 

 growing over a stupendous rock-work side by side, and entwining 

 their branches together. The deep rich orange-coloured flowers 



