PLANTS IN THE HOTEL GARDEN. 



137 



JhB^^ rhun fruticaiis forms hedges everywhere 



^^^l^^g^fe, in these gardens. This is a North-African 

 shrub with silver-grey foliage and graceful 

 blue labiate flowers. Malvastruiu capciise, 

 a Mallow with dark-red, medium-sized 

 flowers, is commonh- met with : also 

 the South - African Ostcospermniii 

 moiiiliferiiin , a big shrubby Com- 

 posite with mellow flower -heads: and 

 Polygala myrtifolia from the Cape, 

 a shrub familiar in our greenhouses. 

 It bears an abundance of large bright 

 red flowers bordered with purple. 

 These resemble the papilionaceous 

 type although the^- belong to a very 

 different order, the Milkwort or Poly- 

 gala family. The South- African 

 Meliaiiihiis major has spread widely 

 in the gardens round the Hotel. It 

 is a rather ornamental plant, of 

 peculiar structure and appearance, 

 which gives its name to the order. 

 In botanical characters it approaches the Bal- 

 samineae. JMehaiithiis ina/or is a shrubb\' plant 

 reaching a height of two }'ards, and bearing large, 

 glaucous, pinnate leaves with serrated edges, and terminal 

 clusters of close-set reddish -brown flowers. The odour 

 of these is not very pleasant. In shape the\' remind 

 one of winged insects. The}' secrete such a quantity 

 of nectar that it falls in drops if the plant is shaken. 



eriroidc^. 



