100 OENAMENTAL FOLIAGE PLANTS. 



A. Osyana. — ^In general habit and appearance this species 

 resembles A. le^tophylla, bnt its leaflets are deeply bifid 

 at the ends ; the ground colour is bright green, the 

 primary veins and tips of the leaflets being chocolate 

 brown. A most elegant plant, worthy a place in every 

 collection. Native of the South Sea Islands. 



A. papijrifera. — This highly ornamental plant attains 

 the height of six or seven feet, or even more ; the stem 

 branches above ; leaves from eight to twelve inches long, 

 five or seven-lobed ; both these and the branches are 

 clothed with a kind of down, which soon falls from the 

 upper side, leaving it quite smooth. At all times a noble 

 plant, but when in bloom its beauty is greatly enhanced, 

 for although the individual flowers are unattractive, yet 

 as they are arranged in drooping panicles some two or 

 three feet long, the whole plant presents a fine appear- 

 ance. It was treated as a stove plant upon its first 

 introduction, but as we have become better acquainted 

 with it, we find it almost or quite hardy, and forming 

 one of the most ornamental plants in the open air, where 

 if it should be killed at the top in winter, it will send 

 hundreds of suckers fi-om the roots in the following 

 spring. Prom the pith of this plant, which is very white, 

 the beautifiil " Rice Paper " of the Chinese is made. It 

 is a native of the Island of Formosa. 



A. pentaphylla. — This plant is a beautiful object, in its 

 normal condition producing a digitate leaf, although it may 

 often be seen with but three leaflets ; they are each from 

 sis to ten inches in length, and from one to two inches in 

 bi;eadth, deeply lobed or pinnatifid, and bright shining 

 green in colour. It is a most useful and ornamental species, 

 being admirably adapted for any situation in which a plant 

 is wanted for decoration. Said to be a native of Japan. 



