PLAGIANTHUS 



199 



P. LYALLII, Hooker fiL 



(Bot. Mag., t. 5935 ; Gaya Lyallii, Cheese/nan.") 



A deciduous shrub in this country, but attaining the dimensions of a small 

 tree up to 30 ft. high in New Zealand, and said to be evergreen at the 

 lower levels of its native habitat. Leaves 2 to 4^ ins.' long, li to 2 ins. 

 wide ; ovate, with a heart-shaped base, bright green above, paler or even 

 whitish beneath, the margins jaggedly toothed ; stalk half to fully as long 

 as the blade. Sometimes the whole leaf is downy, sometimes nearly or 

 quite smooth. Flowers in clusters of from two to five (usually three) at 

 the leaf-axils of the current season's growth ; each flower ii ins. across, 

 solitary on a slender, drooping stalk i to ij- ins. long. Petals overlapping, 



PLAGIANTHUS LYALLII. 



white, almost translucent ; stamens numerous, yellow ; calyx with five 

 triangular lobes. Fruit globose, f to i^ ins. across. 



Native of New Zealand. This beautiful shrub, which flowers in late 

 June and July, is not absolutely hardy. During the winter of 1908-9, a 

 fine specimen at Kew, 10 ft. high and as much through, which had flowered 

 profusely for several years previously, was killed down to the ground. It 

 subsequently sprang up from the base again, but one has to be prepared 

 for the same thing happening any winter. The species is represented in 

 gardens by two forms, one of stiffer, sturdier habit, and more downy in 

 foliage than the other ; also, I think, hardier ; this is regarded as the 

 type. Both forms are extremely beautiful, and when the branches are 

 wreathed with the tissue-paper like flowers there is no shrub more attractive 

 at the time, and few at any other. 



