CERCOCARPUS CHIMONANTHUS 337 



in cultivation at Ke\v, but has not flowered. It is known to withstand 32 

 of frost, so it should prove hardy as it does, indeed, give every evidence of 

 being. 



C. PARVIFOLIUS, Nuttall. MOUNTAIN MAHOGANY. 



An evergreen shrub of sparse habit up to 10 or 15 ft. high, with thick, 

 persistent bark ; branchlets downy when young, becoming smooth later. 

 Leaves obovate, \ to i ins. long, with a wedge-shaped base, and four to 

 six pairs of prominent, parallel veins, the apex coarsely toothed, the base 

 entire ; upper surface dull and clothed with silky hairs, becoming smooth 

 later ; downy beneath, especially on the midrib and veins. 'Flowers produced 

 during May, usually singly, sometimes in twos or threes, on a slender, 

 downy stalk \ to \ in. long, from buds on the previous year's wood ; each 

 flower is about J in. across, consisting chiefly of a cluster of stamens ; calyx 

 grey with down. Fruit \ in. long, ^ in. wide, about the size of an oat grain, 

 surmounted by a slender, twisted tail (the style), 2 to 4 ins. long, clothed with 

 fine, white, silky hairs. 



Native of Western N. America from Oregon to Lower California. This 

 curious shrub has no beauty of flower, but is very remarkable for its long- 

 tailed fruits. In California, where a great crop of them is borne, they give 

 to the branches quite an ostrich feather-like appearance. It is perfectly 

 hardy at Kew, and bears flowers and fruits there. 



C. BETUL^EFOLIUS, Hooker (C. parvifolius var. glaber, Watsoti), is very 

 similar to, but taller and more robust than, the preceding, differing chiefly in 

 its grey, thin, flaky bark (not thick and fissured as in C. parvifolius), and in 

 having, on the average, one more pair of veins in each leaf. Native of 

 California. 



C. T RASKIN, Eastwood. 



A small, evergreen tree up to 25 ft. high, the reddish brown young shoots 

 thickly covered with hoary down, which persists more or less for two or three 

 years. Leaves of tough, rather hard texture ; oval, broadly ovate or 

 roundish, usually blunt or rounded at the tip, and rounded or heart-shaped 

 at the base, somewhat coarsely toothed except near the base ; { to i ins. 

 long, \ to i j ins. wide ; dark green, and with flattened hairs above, grey 

 and thickly felted beneath ; stalk \ to J- in. long. Flowers and fruit not 

 seen in this country, but apparently similar to those of C. parvifolius. 

 Introduced to Edinburgh Botanic Garden a few years ago from Santa 

 Catalina Island, California. Of unproved hardiness. 



CHIMONANTHUS FRAGRANS, Lindley. WINTER SWEET. 



CALYCANTHACE^:. 



(Calycanthus prsecox, Linnaeus, Bot. Mag., t. 66 ; Meratia fragrans, Loiseleur.") 



A deciduous shrub, naturally about 8 ft. high, and of compact, bushy 

 habit, but growing considerably higher on walls. Leaves rough to the 

 touch above, but free from down except when quite young, and on the 

 primary nerves ; lanceolate with an acuminate apex, 2 to 5 ins. long, 

 dark lustrous green. Flowers exceedingly fragrant, produced at various 

 times between November and March according to the weather, but in 

 ordinary seasons at their best in December against a wall; they are 

 solitary on verv short stalks at the joints of the previous summer's shoots, 



Y 



