RUBIACE^. 389 



Vihvrmun and Samhicus are cultivated for their flowers and ornamental 

 fruit. DierviUa and Linncea of the section Ahelia often have charming 

 flowers and are nearly all hardy. In conservatories, the number of 

 Buhiacece cultivated is considerable, esteemed either for their coloured 

 sepals or bracts, as the Mussaendas and Pinchieya puhens, which has 

 not been successfully cultivated among us, notwithstanding the great 

 interest it has as a febrifuge medicine ; or for the colour or odour of 

 their flowers : more especially Uragoga, Ixora, Guettarda, Bouvardia, 

 Portlandia, Gondaminea, Rondeletia, Lindenia, Virecta, Gldenlandia^ 

 Hamelia and Genipas of the section Gardenia, The flowers of G. 

 florida are an article of much commerce, chiefly for making bouquets ; 

 to the beauties of those of the white Camellia is added a Bweet perfume, 

 perhaps too strong. The flowers of G, Thunhergia (fig. 299-301), 

 which are six or seven inches long, are most remarkable for their 

 violet plumes. The most beautiful of the RiihiacecB cultivated are 

 probably the Luculias, particularly L. gratissima, now unfortunately 

 rare in our conservatories, which, to the beauty of its flowers of a 

 delicate rose colour, unites a sweet perfume similar to that of the 

 Oranges. L. Pinceana is said to be still more remarkable. Bouvardia, 

 with red or white flowers, adorns our gardens in summer. Cepha- 

 lanthus occidentalis (^g. 345-348) is hardy in our gardens, but its 

 flowers are not showy. The most infectious of the plants cultivated 

 by us is indeed Pcederia foetida (fig. 248-250). 



