and buoyancy of the Avood, the tree is kiiouii to the Colonists as llio "Cork Tree." 

 Tlio foliage is gi-ccdily eaten by cattle, and ])ossesses highly nut ril ions jji^ojierties. The 

 Eiitelea blossoms in the month of iS'ovember, Avheii both seed capsides and flouers 

 may be fomid on the tree at the same time. The cai)sule, being armed with rigid 

 bristles or spikes, nearly an inch long, presents (juite a formidable appearance, and makes 

 handling appear rntlun- hazardous. The cut blossoms are diflicult to preserve? fresh, even 

 for a few hours, as the thick mucilaginous sap exudes rapidly from the dismembered 

 part, so that it fairly bleeds to death. The only method by which it has been found 

 possible to preserve the blossom, even for a short time, is to insert the stem, as soon as 

 cut, into a potato perforated to receive it; thus, the flow of sap is arrested, and the life 

 of the branch thereby prolonged. The plant is very delicate when young, and \\\\rn 

 removed from, the shelter of its biish home. When introduced into gai'dens, jjrotection 

 must be aft'orded it against frost, or its foliage will sufl'er, and it Avill j)rol)al)ly die. 

 Young plants can be obtained from the nurserymen in the noi-thern principal towns ; 

 and to those who are admii'ers of a handsome shrub, we Avould say, l)y all means 

 introduce the " Whau " into your gardens, the beautiful Begonia-locdving leaf of whic-h 

 is, as our plate portrays, a pleasure to the eye. In some districts, this tree is known 

 as the " Whau," and in others it is called the "Hauama." 



GENUS II. 

 ARISTOTELIA (L'SerUier.) The AristoteUa. 



Generic Charactee. — Shrubs or trees, witli opposite or 

 sub-opposite, cxsfipulate loaves. Flowei's usually uni-sexual. 

 Sepals, 4 or 5, valvate or sub-imbricate. Petals, l or 5, lobed 

 or erenate, rarely entire, sometimes minute. Stamens, 4 or 5, 

 or numerous, inserted on the glandular torus ; filaments short; 



anthers with short terminal slits; ovary 2-4-eelled; style 

 subulate, entire ; cells 2-ovuled. Berry 2-4-(ellcd, few, or 

 many-seeded. Seeds often fleshy on the outside of the hard 

 testa. — Handbook of Sew Zealand Flora, p. 33. 



Description, etc. — A small genus comprising two .\.ustralian species, two Tas- 

 manian, one Chilian, and three New Zealand. The flowers are small and white, or rosy, 

 arranged in axillary fascicles, or in racemes ; the berries roundish, varying in colour 

 from pink to black, and in size from that of a small pea to a cherry. The wood of J. 

 niacqui, a native of Chili, is used for making musical instruments, its tough bark form- 

 ina: the striniys. The berries are acid but edible, ami a wine is made from them bv the 

 Chilians, which is given as a specific in malignant fever. It Avas employed by Dombey 

 in Chili during the plague of 1782, Avitb general success. The genus is named in honour 

 of the Greek Philosopher. The three New Zealand species are:— (1.) A. racemosa, 

 a handsome tree with large leaves, and many-flowered racemes ; (2.) A. Colensoi, a 

 smaller tree than the former, but very similar ; (3.) A small rigid shrub, Avith small 

 leaves and few flowers. 



