71 



head of numerous deep blue flowers, before the leaves arise. 

 This is not the true star of Bethlehem, which is a small flower- 

 ing Hly, stem six inches high; leaves narrow; flower white 

 with dark centre. 



Lilium speciosum. (Japanese or spice lily.) About ten 

 inches high. Bears a red flower. 



Ivilium Chaledonium. (scarlet Martagon lily.) I/ike the 

 above only in colours. 



Other and new varieties of the lily family are being imported 

 from time to time and may be seen in private gardens. 



Dracaena Terminalis. Linn, (purple dracaena.) A shrub 

 eight to ten feet high, branching up from the root with numer- 

 ous stems or branches. Leaves dark purple, two to three 

 inches long, deeply veined, oblong, bluntly pointed, somewhat 

 crinkled below, the whole leaf turning upward from mid-rib. 

 Flower in racemes, small, terminal on branches, of a rich 

 purple or reddish claret color. 



Dracaena Australis. Forst. (Green dracaena.) In all re- 

 spects similar to the above, except that its foliage is green, 

 and flowers are of a similar hue. Both species are prickly 

 garden shrubs, and I am not aware of any existing as escapes. 



Natural Order, Commelinaceae. 



Commelina Agraria, Kth. (day-flower.) A plant with pros- 

 trate smooth stem, rooting at the brittle joints, much inter- 

 woven with branchlets, the almost transparant stems attaining 

 several feet in length. Leaves alternate, oblong, shining, one 

 and a half to two inches or more long. The bracts bear three 

 or four flowers on slender, branched stalks, bright blue, half 

 to one inch in diameter. Ditch bottoms, marsh lands and 

 cultivated ground. Perennial. Summer months. 



Commelina Elegems. Rich. (Poultry, or chicken grass.) 

 Very similar to the above, but not so sturdy. Stems ascending 

 about one foot instead of prostrate. Same localities as preced- 

 ing. Flowers borne the same way but smaller, half an inch 

 wide at most, bright blue with yellow racemes closing early in 

 the day. Common. Perennial. Summer months. 



