CHAP. V. OENAMENTAL TREES, SHRUBS, ETC. 575 



seems a shy bloomer. In order to see it in perfection one must 

 see it open at mid night. Cut a few inches of the stem on each 

 side of the maturing bud, and bring within doors. Soon after 

 dark it begins to open, and towards midnight expands its noblo 

 beauty ; a disk six inches in diameter, very double, pure-white 

 in centre, exterior yellow-brown, most deliciously fragrant of 

 clove perfume. In the morning beauty and fragrance are gone/' 

 In this country it is neither a rare plant nor a shy bloomer, but 

 from the immense size to which it grows is only admissible in a 

 garden of great extent. Its flowers may be witnessed in perfec- 

 tion at daybreak, and for some little time after. The flowers, it 

 is said, may be preserved in full beauty for a long time if the 

 pistil be removed before impregnation. 



3. C. speciosissimus. This also, seen in the night, when in full 

 blossom, is said to be an object of almost unrivalled splendour. 



4. C. nycticallus. A climber, requiring an extensive kind of 

 support for its thin long-jointed stems, which throw out nume- 

 rous fibrous roots, whereby it adheres to a wall or trunk of a 

 tree, against which it may be planted ; bears in May very large 

 white flowers, which open in the night and perish at the dawn. 



5. C. hexagonus. A very common plant of the size of a large 

 shrub, with stout six-ribbed stems; bears during the Eains a 

 succession of numerous large white flowers in the night-time, 

 which perish soon after day-light. 



The names of others found in our gardens, but calling for no 

 particular description, are : 6. C, triangularis. A climber; very 

 common. 7. C. tetragonus ; 8. C. Bonplandi; 9. C. Jamaicensis ; 

 10. C. loranthoides ; 11. C. multangularis. 



Epiphyllum. 



A genus of plants with stems resembling a combination of 

 irregular-edged straps or ribbons growing out of each other in 

 succession. 



1. E. Hookeri. A plant of considerable size, requiring a large 

 pot ; grows very rapidly, and is apt to let droop its long flat 

 stems over the ground and look very untidy ; bears during the 

 Hot and Eain seasons numerous very large star-formed, white 

 flowers, comprising very many long narrow petals. These open 

 in the evening and perish the following morning. At Feroze- 



