94 DR. V. MARTIUS 



ampuUse of Utricularia ; the ascidia of Cephalotus, Nepenthes, and 

 Sarracenia ; the ciliated and irritable leaves of Diontea ; the 

 coral-red two-lobed bracts of Ruyschia or the many-coloured 

 swollen ones of Souroubea ; the elegantly coloured leaflet on one 

 of the calycine teeth of Calycophyllum ; the ornamented gland- 

 ular usually involute leaves of Dracophyllum ; the red calyx of 

 Erythrochiton ; the divers forms of petals in Erythroxylon and 

 many Sapindaceae ; the white involucre of various forms in the 

 Australian umbelliferous genus Leucolajna ; the curious spathe in 

 Pistia and Ambrosinia ; the tendril-forms of various Cucurbitacese ; 

 the double floral torsion in Disa ; the indusiate stigma in Gooden- 

 oviacete ; the unusual forms of flower in Aristolochise, Passiflorese, 

 Belvisieje and Loasese. I need the less to extend this list, which 

 would be easy enough, had not professor Schitzlein promised me 

 that he would publish, for the use of Directors of botanic gardens, 

 an enumeration of such morphological forms. These connect 

 themselves often with facts and considerations appertaining to 

 vegetable geography ; certain forms spreading all over the world ; 

 others extending over hemispheres or extensive countries, while 

 some are confined within narrower limits. The more such forms 

 are brought together in geographical proximity in our plant-houses, 

 the more will they serve to exhibit the vegetable physiognomy of 

 their native places. The distinguished Japanese traveller and 

 author Von Siebold observes, that no country produces so great a 

 variety of plants with variegated leaves as that ; to produce them 

 forms an occupation among Japanese gardeners, but their proce- 

 dure is unknown. It is reported that there are plants in Mada- 

 gascar, which produce many-shaped leaves in one and the same 

 individual (as we see in Ruizia variabilis of our hot-houses). 

 Perforated leaves (folia pertusa) are likewise said to belong to 

 that Flora. It belongs assuredly to the destination of plant- 

 houses to exhibit and as far as possible to trace such forms. 



But physiognomical characters of floral regions ought likewise 

 to be represented, by cultivating such species as are peculiarly 

 suited to that end. Heaths and Thymelese with their slender 

 branches and minute leaves ; the rush-like Restiacese ; the arid, 

 splendid floral heads of Proteacese ; the succulent Aloes and 

 Stapeliae from the Cape ; the shrubby Rutaceee ; the Epacridese ; 

 the leafless Acacias, with vertical phyllodia, from New Holland ; 

 the Mexican Cacti, Dasyliria, Hechtiae, Agavae, Yuccae, and 

 Cycadeas, should not be wanting in establishments which lay claim 

 to any degree of perfection. 



