CHAP. V. ORNAMENTAL TREES, SHRUBS, ETC. 547 



straw-coloured flowers on great, chocolate-brown wheat- ear-like 

 heads ; curious, but not very ornamental. 



7. B. rosea. A small shrub, very beautiful in the Cold 

 season when bearing its profusion of rose-coloured blossoms. 



8. B. sp. From Mauritius; somewhat similar to the pre- 

 ceding, but of larger growth ; a splendid object in November 

 and December, when it becomes one complete mass of rose- 

 coloured blossom. 



9. B. Prionitis. A small thorny shrub about two feet high, 

 a common weed of this country ; bears pale nankeen flowers, 

 which have a pretty appearance upon the deep-green verdant 

 leaves, when the plant is in good condition. 



10. B. caerulea. A small not very pleasing plant; bears azure- 

 blue and rather pretty flowers, but on great ugly heads of com- 

 pressed bracts. 



11. B. hirsuta. An agreeable shrub when in blossom with its 

 bright azure-blue flowers. 



12. B. montana. A pretty plant, with deep-green leaves shot 

 with purple : flowers pale rose-colour. 



Geissomeria. 



G. aurantiaca. A very handsome shrub, three feet high, with 

 large, thick, glossy laurel-like leaves ; bears in February and 

 March blossom-heads of bright vermilion tubular flowers an 

 inch long ; requires to be kept in a shady situation, or the leaves 

 lose their fine verdant appearance. 



Gymnostachyum. 



G. Zeylanicum. A lovely little plant, Dr. Anderson says, 

 with variegated leaves, native of the shady forests of Ceylon. 

 Under the synonym Fittonia are given some two or three other 

 species of low trailing habit ornamental for the pink or white 

 veins of their leaves. 



Acanthus. 



A. ilicifolius HurJcut. A shrub about three feet high, 

 curious for the perfect resemblance its prickly leaves bear to 

 those of the Holly ; produces in April and May large sky-blue 



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