PuLateE 2786. 
SWIETENIA MAHAGONI, Jacg., var. PRASCOCI- 
FLORA, Hemel: 
(Planta juvenilis florigera.) 
Meuiace®. Tribe SwIkETENIEx. 
S. Mahagoni, oe Enum. Syst. Pl. Carib. p. 7h artes oh 
Hist. Carol. vol. ii. p. et t. 81; Linn. Sp. Pl. ed. 2, p. 
Encyel. vol, iii. R ‘678 (Mahogoni) ; C. ‘DC. in DC. ae pve 
vol. i. p. 723, t. 8, f. 11 (Mahog 
nte plures 6-10 poll. altw, florigere in Horto Botanico 
Trinitensi educate in Herbario Kewensi conservat nt. Cali. 
simplex, gracillimus. olia alterna, graciliter petiolata, simplicia, 
tenuia, glabra, infima minora, elliptica, utrinque rotundata, cetera 
lanceolata, 2- 3 poll. longa, basi rotundata, apice acumi . oe 
ci in foliorum superiorum axillis solitarii vel 2-5 aggregati, graciliter 
pedicellati, 2-3 lin. dia , pentameri, glabri. Calycis lobi orbicu- 
lares, interdum fere liberi, petala equantes. Petala orbicularia, erecta 
Tubus stamineus campanulatus, 10-dentatus, petalis pa evior ; 
anthere 10, breviter exserte, cass vel po imperfec Discus 
e 
nullus. pte rudimentare, solidum, stylo brevissimo, ‘stigmate 
amplo capita 
The specimens ee this remarkable instance of ener ious 
flowering were sent to w in 1896 by Mr. J. H. Hart, F.LS., 
Superintendent of de Royal Botanic Gardens, Trinidad, cn a clue 
to their identity ; otherwise we might, = aps, have remained ignorant 
of the fact up to the present time. A complete investigation and com- 
parison leaves no doubt that these ae are “really juvenile 
oS 
ts. 
eet to our questions Mr. Hart writes: ‘The conditions under 
skins they were raised were of the ordinary type ; the seed was sown 
in boxes rather — It is probable that at some stage they suffered 
from want of water. I cannot remember exactly what ‘became of the 
plants, but I distinctly remember their taking on normal growth.’ 
So far as I know, nobody has ig any general account of the 
precocious flowering of plants and its a. <All fie sonia are 
familiar with starved seedlings of pres poet Papaver Rheas, an 
numerous other plants flowering when less than an inch high ; but 
there are many instances of precocious flowering which are not so 
