CHAPTER VII 



SPRING AND SUMMER 



BESIDES flowers growing on the ground, there are many 

 shrubs and small trees now in blossom, although some 

 are by no means confined in floral display to the warm 

 and rainy season. Along the hedges in some localities is a 

 small bush, with clusters of purple leguminous flowers, called 

 jamdmo (Mundulea suberosd) ; branches of these shrubs are 

 sometimes placed in a pool or stream, so as to stupefy, and thus 

 easily obtain, any fish present in the water. Very conspicuous 

 are the bright yellow flowers of the tainakbho (Cassia Icevigata), 

 and the tsiafakomby (Ccesalpinia sepiaria), and the orange- 

 yellow spikes of the seva (Buddleia madagascariensis). More 

 showy and handsome still perhaps are the abundant large 

 yellow flowers of the prickly pear, which is so largely used for 

 hedges and for the defences of the old towns and villages. The 

 strong and sharp spines, from an inch to an inch and a half long, 

 are the usual native substitute for pins. A species of Hibiscus 

 (Hibiscus diversifolius) is not uncommon, with yellow flowers, 

 which have deep red in the centre ; yellow seems indeed the 

 most common colour in the flora of Imerina. At this time of the 

 year also three or four species of aloe come into flower. The 

 larger of these, called vdhona (Aloe macroclada) by the Malagasy, 

 is much used for planting as a hedge, from its fleshy leaves being 

 armed with sharp prickles ; its tall flower spike shoots up very 

 rapidly to a height of four or six feet. Another and smaller 

 one, called sahondra (Aloe capitata), has its flowers branching 

 at the top of the stalk something like a candelabra. The 

 numerous flowers attract, as they expand, swarms of bees. 

 Another plant, like an aloe in appearance, called taretra 

 (Fourcroya gigantea) by the natives, has long leaves, with a 

 sharp spine at the ends only ; and its flower-stalk shoots up 

 like a small mast to a height of twenty feet, with widely 

 spreading branchlets and an immense number of light coloured 



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