PLANTS INTRODUCED INTO TEE VICTORIA GARDENS. 129 



3. RUSSELIA EOTUNDIFOLIA-' (floribunda) (SCROPHULARINE^). This is 



a Mexican shrub like the other species Russelia juncia so common m Bombay- 

 gardens. Its habit is not gracefully pendulous like that of Russelia juncea 

 and the branches are clothed with much larger leaves, while the flowers 

 are smaller but of a darker red colour. The plant was introduced in the 

 Victoria Gardens in 1894 by purchasing it from the College of Science 

 Garden, Poona. 



4. Santalum ALBUM,t Lin7t. (Santalace^), Sandal-wood tree, Chandaii. 

 It is common in the Deccan Peninsula on dry hills ascending to 3,000 feet. 

 Several attempts were made to grow it in the Victoria Gardens, plants being 

 obtained from Poona in 1894 and 1896, and from Baroda in 1896, and seeds 

 from Madras in 1895, and again in 1898 from Poona, The seeds germinated 

 well, but all attempts to grow the plants failed entirely, the moist climate 

 of Bombay appearing to be quite fatal to them. 



5. Gymnema sylvestee,J Br. (AscLEPiADEJi), Wdhhandi. Is is an 

 evergreen woody climber indigenous in the Deccan Peninsula. It is in 

 no wjiy a garden plant, having neither ornamental leaves or flowers, the 

 latter being small and yellowish, appearing in May and June. It is, however 

 very interesting on account of the peculiar property possessed by its leaves. 

 If the leaves are chewed thoroughly so that the juice comes in contact with 

 the whole of the lining membrane of the mouth and then some sugar is put 

 in the mouth, no sweet or any taste whatever is felt for some time, the sugar 

 feeling like so much sand put in the mouth. The plant was purchased in 

 1894 from the College of Science Garden, Poona, and seems to thrive well 

 in Bombay. 



6. Macadamia TEKN1F0LIA,§ F. V. 31. (Proteace^), Queensland Nut 

 tree. It is an ornamental small evergreen tree about 30 feet high, from 

 Eastern Australia. The leaves are shining, leathery, dentate, oblong-lanceo- 

 late and whorled. The fruit is described as a kind of drupe, with a fleshy 

 exterior, encircling a hard shell, like a walnut, containing at maturity a white 

 firm kernel as crisp as that of the hazelnut with a remarkable rich and 

 agreeable flavor resembling but much superior to that of the filbert. The 

 plants were obtained in exchange in 1894 from Mr. Walter Hill of Brisbane, 

 Australia. They are growing very slowly and the one planted out in the 

 ground in an exposed position seems to suffer from the effects of the hot 

 noon sun, the leaves appearing burnt and stunted. It should, therefore 

 be planted in a situation protected from the noon sun. It has not yet 



* It is named after Alexander Russel and from rotundas, Tound , 3,nd folium, leaf. 



t The name is derived from its Perbian name cliaiidal, Sanscrit chandana, and from 

 alhus, wbi^e, the colour of the wood of a variety if this plaot. 



X The name is derived from gymnos, naked, wnd nema, a filament, owing to the Btamineous 

 corona being absent in the genus, and from fylvestris, growing in woods. 



§ It is named after John Macadam, M. D., of Victoria, and from terni,hy threes, and folius, 

 leaf, from its le ves being in whorls of three. 

 17 



