G9 



vittata, from the South Sea Islands ; the shell-flower of the East 

 Indies, Alpinia nutans, with its nodding clusters of handsome 

 flowers and shell-like bracts ; and Hedychium coronarium, the 

 East Indian garland flower, and Hedychium Gardncrianum, both 

 from the East Indies, the former with pure white flowers with 

 sometimes a faint marking of yellow and a delicious fragrance, 

 and the latter with flowers entirely yellow. 



Immediately across the walk is the main collection of the 

 screw-pine family, Pandanaceae, all of them natives of the Old 

 World. There are about two hundred and twenty-five known 

 species, of which number over one hundred and fifty belong to 

 Pandanus, the only genus represented in the collection. The 

 name screw-pine is derived from the resemblance of these leaves 

 to those of the pine and to the spiral manner of their ar- 



i the 



The 



hats, baskets, etc. The tough aerial 

 fiber; these are cut into lengths which 

 and made into very effective brushes, 

 plants, Pandanus Veitchii and P. utilis, a: 

 mens each. The leaves of many of the 



i of the screv 

 ■ho make fro: 



ther 



with vie 



ntherr 



ing ther 



ion by a 



Immediately in the rear of the screw-pines is the tro] 

 Carica Papaya. The fruit of this plant is edible, a 



milky juice which, if added to water in which meat i 

 said to render the meat very tender. The same effe 



be pro- 



duced if meat is wrapped in the leaves of the plant. 



In the 



corner opposite to the ginger family will be found a 



group c 



omprising representatives of several families. One speci- 



men is 



a small tree of the alligator pear, Persea Pcrsea, exten- 



sively < 



:ultivated in many tropical countries. This, frequently 



known 



as the avocado pear, is esteemed as a salad, or often 



eaten w 



ith salt and pepper as the first course at breakfast. It 



belongs 



; to the laurel family, Lauraceae, to which also belongs 



our con 



nmon sassafras tree. The lily family is represented by a 



