60 Violariece Viola. 



the latter part of Winter and early Spring. The Neapolitan, 

 Giant, and King are varieties of this species. This is indige- 

 nous in the South-east of England. 



F. palmata-) V. pedata, and F. pinnata are all handsome 

 blue or, in some varieties, white-flowered species, having the 

 leaves divided into narrow segments in the manner suggested 

 by the several names. The first two are North American, and 

 the other South European. 



ORDER XIV. PITTOSPOREJE. 



Shrubs or small trees, or more rarely climbing or trailing 

 shrubs. Leaves alternate, usually simple, exstipulate. There 

 are two or three species of the genus Pittosporum hardy or 

 nearly so in the South-west of England. The majority of the 

 species are Australian. 



1. PITTOSPORUM. 



Sepals distinct or connate at the base. Petals cohering more 

 or less, or spreading from the base. Stamens 5 ; filaments sub- 

 ulate. Capsule sessile, 2- or more celled, globose, ovate or 

 obovate, often laterally compressed ; valves coriaceous or woody. 

 Seeds numerous, fleshy, albuminous, often enveloped in a viscid 

 juice. About fifty species are known, from Africa, the warmer 

 parts of Asia, Pacific Islands, Australia, and New Zealand. 

 The name is from Tr/rra, pitch, and <nropd, seed, in reference to 

 the resinous envelope of the seeds. None of the species are 

 quite hardy, even in the South-west, though some of them will 

 bear our ordinary winters without injury. 



1. P. Toblra. A handsome evergreen shrub. Leaves gla- 

 brous, oblong or obovate, entire, coriaceous, and glossy. Flowers 

 white, in terminal clusters, fragrant. China. 



P. undulatum, P. Sinense, and P. coriaceum are the names 

 of other species in cultivation. The former is from Australia, 

 has pale green wavy leaves with a dark midrib, and is the most 

 desirable for planting out in sheltered places. 



Idesia polycdrpa forms a genus of Bixlnece, and has lately 

 been introduced. It is a large tree with large alternate glabrous 

 cordate remotely serrulate acuminate leaves on long petioles, 

 and terminal panicles of inconspicuous flowers, succeeded by 

 large pendent clusters of purplish-black berries. It is culti- 

 vated in Japanese gardens, whence it was imported. 



