167 
cultivation since 1878. Previous to that year the species had been 
introduced into the garden of Mr. Francesco Franzosini at Intra on 
Lago Maggiore. It is a native of Mexico or Central America, 
The inflorescence—a panicle which has a diameter of about 10 feet 
—reaches a height of almost 40 feet. Fougquieria is a genus of 
considerable taxonomic interest and so singular in the structure of 
its flowers that the opinions of various botanists have differed very 
widely as to its proper systematic Apo and accordingly it has 
been placed in several distinct natural or 
Fouquieria was originally described by Bosipinadl and Kunth in 
1823. The authors, after comparing it with genera belonging to 
five or six widely different orders, suggested that it might represent 
u new natural order coming in between Portulacaceae and Crassu- 
laceae, Five years later A. e Candolle taking up their 
suggestion based upon the genus she new order of Foupiserautis, 
placing it next to Portulacaceae, but pointing out at the same time 
that in the flower es a ap sont Crassulaceae, and in the fruit 
Turneraceae and Loasaceae. ntham and Hooker in their Genera 
lantarum reduced ahs Fiuguieracone to a tribe of Tamaricaceae. 
The same position was assigned to it by Niedenzu in Engler an 
Prantl’s Natiirliche Pflarzenfamilien, but later on Engler cohiited 
the natural order of Fouquieraceae, placing it next to Tamaricaceae. 
Van Tieghem, on the other hand, after examining their anatomical 
and morphological structure, came to the conclusion that the order 
should stand by the side of Styraceae and Diospyraceae. Finally, 
ash, who recently monographed the order, thought it was much 
more closely allied to Polemoniaceae than to Tamaricaceae. The 
reasons given by the authors for assigning this or that position in 
the system sedi: either on superficial resemblances or on pur 
theoretical considerations of the value of certain characters, and 
r 
States. The plant—a spiny shrub reaching a height of 20 feet 
—has flowered in the Royal Botanic as ig op whence 
material for the figure was sent by Mr. F. W. Moore. Kalmia 
to Kew by means of seeds received in 1900 from the pom 
Garden at Hakgala, Ceylon. The Cirrhopetalum is well e 
terised by its constantly 2-flowered scapes. Its flowers are hive 
and showy, densely purple-dotted. The species is a native of the 
mountains of Java, and the specimen figured is one that was pre- 
sented to Kew in 1908 by the Hon. W. Rothschild, of Tring. 
The Grain Tree.—An enqui fy of been received at Kew 
from a cetanaeat as to the ‘Mest the Grain tree, which 
occasionally figures as a bearing in h devices. ree sprigs 
