CHAP. V. ORNAMENTAL TREES, SHRUBS, ETC. 401 



those of the Castor-oil plant, of a dead blackish-green, prettily 

 marked with clear green along the nerves ; described as bearing 

 clusters of numerous large rosy-white flowers. 



11. B. rex. Small, but by no means thriving, plants of the 

 varieties of this superb species may be occasionally seen at 

 Calcutta, where, however, during the Rains their leaves are apt 

 to perish. 



12. B. rubrovenia. A small plant of recent introduction into 

 the Botanical Gardens, where it thrives well in the grass con- 

 servatory. Leaves oval, pointed ; the upper surface mealy- 

 white, except the veins, which are dark green ; under surface 

 and stems deep red. 



HYPOGYNOUS EXOGENS. 

 FLACOURTIACE^E. 



Bixa. 



B. Orellana. ARNOTTO-TREE. A small, rather common tree, 

 the seed of which yields the well-known Arnotto dye ; has dense 

 handsome foliage, with large heart-shaped leaves ; bears in great 

 profusion, towards the end of the Eains, panicles of remarkably 

 beautiful flowers, resembling large peach-blossoms: if pruned 

 and kept of moderate size, an ornamental plant at all times : 

 easily propagated from seed. Koxburgh says the variety that 

 bears white flowers is a native of this country, but that in plants 

 reared from West India seed the flowers are rose-coloured. 



PASSIFLOKACE^:. 



Passiflora. 



PASSION-FLOWER. 



The different species of Passion-flower met with in our Indian 

 gardens are rather numerous. Many, however, seem little dis- 

 posed to bloom ; and some five or six, perhaps, the flowers of 

 which are of exquisite beauty, are as many as are of any value 

 in an ornamental point of view. They are tendril-bearing 

 climbers ; natives principally of South America and the West 

 Indies, and require a trellis for their support. " They grow," 

 it is said, " with great rapidity ; but soon exhaust the soil, and 



2 D 



