05 



for February of this year. Other members of this family are the 

 popular Cordyline terminalis, from tropical Asia, and the bowstring 

 hemps, belonging to the genus Sansevieria. 



In the iris family, Iridaceae, the genus Marica, mostly from 

 tropical America, is represented by M. northiana. The flowers 

 of this plant are dainty and pretty, but unfortunately they are 

 so delicate that they persist but a few hours after opening. 



The screw-pine family, Pandanaceae, is represented by a few 

 small plants here. In house no. 4 will be found a group of 

 large specimens, and the family will be considered in detail there. 

 Species represented here and not elsewhere are : Pandanus pacifi- 

 tus, peculiar in the long tails to its leaves ; and P. Sanderi, of 

 recent introduction, much resembling the old favorite Pandanus 

 Veitchii, having the markings golden instead of white as in that 

 species. 



Other specimens representing the families in this house will be 

 found elsewhere, as follows : large tropical plants in house no. 4 ; 

 desert or xerophytic species in houses 5 and 6 ; temperate species 



House No. 4. 

 In this house are brought together the specimer 

 imilies represented in other houses, but too large 1 

 iiodated on the benches. They are grouped in fan 

 .ossible to find here larger representatives of familit 



Of particular interest in this house is the large group of the 

 banana family, Musaceae, which occupies a large part of the 

 center opposite the entrance from house no. 3, and the corner 

 immediately opposite. Of the genus Miisa, to which the ba- 

 nanas and plantains belong, there are many representatives. The 

 inflorescence of these plants comes from the apex of the stem, 

 and when it first emerges appears to be composed of large leaf- 

 like objects, called bracts, which are usually colored. As each 

 one of these bracts falls a little cluster of flowers is revealed, and 

 it is each one of these clusters, matured into the ripe fruit known 

 as the banana, which forms the " hand " of the dealers. Musa 



