v.] REMARKABLE LEAVES. 81 



the rain-water in which small creatures could be 

 drowned, whose visits would be detrimental to the 

 reproductive organs of the plant." In former times 

 this water was collected by ladies for use as a cos- 

 metic ; it also had a reputation as a cure for inflamed 

 eyes. 



So much for the Pitchers ! We think we have still 

 some remarkable plants to call our readers' atten- 

 tion to. We have described plants which possess 

 no leaves, but we wish now to have a word concern- 

 ing one that possesses neither leaf nor stem being, 

 in fact, only a flower! This remarkable plant is a 

 native of Java and Sumatra, where it was discovered 

 in 1818. Imagine the feelings of Sir Stamford Raffles, 

 Lady Raffles, and Dr. Arnold who were in that 

 year exploring the interior of Sumatra on suddenly 

 coming across a gigantic flower over a yard across ! 

 Such a production had never been heard of before, 

 and no little surprise was created when drawings and 

 descriptions were sent home to England. To give 

 honour to its discoverers, their names were embodied 

 in the scientific name given to the flower thus 

 Rafflesia Arnoldi. Here is Dr. Joseph Arnold's 

 account of its discovery : " I had ventured some 

 way from the party, when one of the Malay servants 

 came running to me with wonder in his eyes, and 

 said, ' Come with me, sir, come ! a flower, very large, 

 beautiful, wonderful!' I immediately went with the 

 man about a hundred yards in the jungle, and he 

 pointed to a flower growing close to the ground 

 under the rushes, which was truly astonishing. . . . 

 The whole flower was of a very thick substance, the 



