FLOWERS. 169 



ground in many places (Convolvulus mal- 

 vaceous ; var. Parvifolius). Trailing side by 

 side with this, as if it knew how well the two 

 colours harmonised, generally grows a large 

 yellow hibiscus with deep maroon centre (Hibis- 

 cus Surattensis). The buds of these two flowers 

 gathered over-night and placed in water are 

 a lovely addition to a breakfast- table, but 

 seldom last longer than noon unless shut up 

 in the dark till they are wanted. With a 

 little trouble no one need ever be without a 

 bouquet here ; but some of the sweetest flowers 

 are sadly disappointing, as their woody stems 

 prevent their living long in water. One of 

 this class is a sweet-scented white flower (On- 

 coba Kraussiana) somewhat like a strawberry 

 blossom, often two inches in diameter, growing 

 on a small bush in the open ; but I have seen it 

 in a w r ood push itself through the tall trees, for 

 the sake of the sun's rays, to the height of 

 twenty feet or more. 



This tendency of plants to straggle about 

 over thick bush or force themselves upwards 



