CHAP. V. ORNAMENTAL TREES, SHRUBS, ETC. 400 



2. D. cuspidata. Has rough three-lobed leaves, longer than 

 broad ; bears in September pinkish scentless flowers. 



3. D. acutangula. Leaves three-lobed, larger than those of 

 the last, as broad as long ; bears in December and January 

 liydrangea-like corymbs of largish, round-petalled, pink-blush 

 flowers, with a faint hawthorn-blossom-like scent. 



4. D. viburnifolia. Leaves similar in form to those of the 

 last, but larger, covered with soft hairs ;. bears in January 

 densely-crowded corymbs of white narrow-petalled flowers, with 

 an agreeable hawthorn-blossom fragrance. 



5. D. tiliaefolia. Leaves heart-shaped and pointed ; bears in 

 the Cold season sweet-scented rose-coloured flowers ; a smaller 

 shrub and less easy of propagation than any of the preceding. 







Astrapaea. 



A. Wallichii. Native of Madagascar ; a tree of from twenty to 

 thirty feet in height, but plants will blossom when only two or 

 three feet high ; has very large, roundish, heart-shaped, rough 

 coarse leaves ; bears in February, on long pendulous footstalks, 

 large compact bundles of small deeply rose-coloured flowers with 

 yellow anthers. The flowers hang with their faces downwards, 

 and, on small plants, can only be seen by being lifted up for 

 inspection. Both Don and Sir J. Paxton say of it, that it is " one 

 of the finest plants ever introduced into Britain, and that when 

 in flower nothing can exceed it in beauty." It is not every one, 

 perhaps, who will concur in this opinion. To me the beauty of 

 the flowers seems of a very tawdry description. It requires a 

 good soil and a shady situation. Mr. Ellis says, " in its native 

 home it always luxuriates on the banks of a stream, or grows 

 near water."* Propagated by layers, which take a very long 

 time to root. 



Pterospermum. 



P. lanceaefolium. A large tree, native of Assam, with lance- 

 head-like leaves of a tawny russet colour, with the under surface 

 dead-white ; bears in the Hot season large white fragrant 

 flowers ; a small tree in the garden is a very ornamental object, 

 for the striking peculiarity of its dense handsome foliage. 



* ' Madagascar,' p. 295. 



