FLOWERING TEEES AND SHRUBS 83 



glossy, and remain on the plant during winter, while the 

 flowers are minute and uninteresting. It is an excellent 

 shrub for the seaside, and, moreover, will succeed well in 

 stiff soils where many other plants would refuge to grow. 



G. LuciDA, from New Zealand, with obliquely ovate 

 leaves and small flowers, is less hardy than the preceding. 



Gymnocladus (Leguminosse). 



Gvmnocladus canadensis. — Kentucky Coffee Tree. 

 Canada, 1748. When in full leafage this is a distinct and 

 beautiful tree, the foliage hanging in well-rounded masses, 

 and presenting a pretty effect by reason of the loose and 

 tufted appearance of the masses of finely-divided leaves. 

 Leaves often 3 feet long, bipinnate, and composed of 

 numerous bluish-green leaflets. Flowers white, borne in 

 loose spikes in the beginning of summer, and succeeded by 

 flat, somewhat curved brown pods. It prefers a rich, strong 

 soil or alluvial deposit. 



G. ohinensis. — Soap Tree. China, 1889. Readily dis- 

 tinguished from the American species by its much smaller 

 and more numerous leaflets, smaller flowers, and thicker 

 fruit pod. It is not very hardy in this country unless in 

 the milder seaside districts. The i fruit is used by the 

 Chinese women to wash their hair, hence the popular name 

 of Soap Tree. 



Halesia (Styracaceae). 



Halesia dipteea (syn H. reticulata). — North America, 

 1758. This is not so suitable for our climate as H. tetrap- 

 tera, though in southern parts of the country it forms a 

 neat, healthy bush, the white flowers being produced freely. 

 It is distinguished, as the name indicates, by having two 

 wings to the seed vessel, H. tetraptera having four. 



