60 Violariee— Viola. 
the latter part of Winter and early Spring. The Neapolitan, 
Giant, and King are varieties of this species. This is indige- 
nous in the South-east of England. 
V. palmata, V. peddta, and V. pinndta are all handsome 
blue or, in some varieties, white-flowered species, having the 
leaves divided into narrow segments in the manner suggested 
by the several names. The first two are North American, and 
the other South European. 
Orpen XIV—PITTOSPOREZ. 
Shrubs or small trees, or more rarely climbing or trailing 
shrubs. Leaves alternate, usually simple, exstipulate. There 
are two or three species of the genus Pittospérum™ hardy or 
nearly so in the South-west of England. The majority of the 
species are Australian. 
1. PITTOSPORUM. 
Sepals distinct or connate at the base. Petals cohering more 
or less, or spreading from the base. Stamens 5; filaments sub- 
ulate. Capsule sessile, 2-or more celled, globose, ovate or 
obovate, often laterally compressed ; valves coriaceous or woody. 
Seeds numerous, fleshy, albuminous, often enveloped in a viscid 
juice. About fifty species are known, from Africa, the warmer 
parts of Asia, Pacific Islands, Australia, and New Zealand. 
The name is from mitta, pitch, and omopa, seed, in reference to 
the resinous envelope of the seeds. None of the species are 
quite hardy, even in the South-west, though some of them will 
bear our ordinary winters without injury. 
1. P. Tobira.—A handsome evergreen shrub. Leaves gla- 
brous, oblong or obovate, entire, coriaceous, and glossy. Flowers 
white, in terminal clusters, fragrant. China. 
P.undulatum, P. Sinénse, and P. coridceum are the names 
of other species in cultivation. The former is from Australia, 
has pale green wavy leaves with a dark midrib, and isthe most 
desirable for planting out in sheltered places. 
Idésia polycarpu forms a genus of Birlnece, and has lately 
been introduced. It isa large tree with large alternate glabrous 
cordate remotely serrulate acuminate leaves on long petioles, 
and terminal panicles of inconspicuous flowers, succeeded by 
large pendent clusters of purplish-black berries. It is culti- 
vated in Japanese gardens, whence it was imported. 
