292 FLOWERING TREES 



elegance and loveliness. It is in flower during the greater part of 

 the year, but its chief flowering season in Ceylon is from January 

 to April, i.e., the dry season. The tree thrives in the moist low- 

 country up to 1,600 feet, and requires rich and well-drained soiL 

 It does not seem to flourish near the sea, and is rarely met with 

 about Colombo. It produces seed very scantily anywhere, a pod 

 or two occasionally being all that can be obtained, and even these 

 are often infertile. Propagation by layering has, therefore, to be 

 adopted. Introduced into Ceylon in 1860. 



Bauhinia. Leguitiinosae. Several species and varieties of this 

 genus afford us small but beautiful flowering trees, such as B. pur- 

 purea with very showy large flowers of a pink shade merging into 

 purple, B. triandra or "Mountain Ebony" (somewhat similar to the 

 latter), and B. tonieniosa or " Kahapetan " w r ith yellow flowers. 

 The genus takes its name from Bauhin, the twin brother botanists* 

 from the fact that the leaves are joined in twos at the base. 



Brownea ariza. Leguininosae. A small spreading tree with 

 pinnate, drooping foliage, native of Tropical America, in- 

 troduced into Ceylon in 1884. It bears from the ends of the 

 branches very large dense round clusters of blossom which practi- 

 cally weigh down the branches. The flowers are of a deep rose- 

 colour, of great beauty, and resemble in form large Rhododendron 

 flow r ers. 



B. coccinea (Scarlet). A short spreading tree, native of 

 South America and introduced into Ceylon in 1849. It is dis- 

 tinguished from the other Brown eas by the small but numerous 

 clusters of scarlet flowers, produced on the stem and older branches. 



B. grandiceps (Large-headed). A larger and handsomer 

 tree than either of the former two species, native of Venezuela, 

 introduced into Ceylon in 1870. A very beautiful tree when in 

 blossom, the bright-red flowers being borne in very large dense 

 heads at the ends of the branches. The foliage, too, is very hand- 

 some, the young leaves being produced in long, drooping flaccid 

 bunches, similar to those of Amherstia. 



B. macrophylla (Large-leaved). A strong-growing species, 

 introduced at Peradeniya in 1894. It is of a less free- flowering 

 habit than the three species above named, but the flower heads 

 are larger, and of a pleasing shade of rose-colour ; the very large 

 and bright- coloured stamens also distinguish the flowers from 

 those of the other species of Brownea. 



