(i8) 



tree (Olea europaea), of which a small specimen may be 

 found near the oleanders; this plant was originally from the 

 Mediterranean region and the Orient, but has now been 

 largely introduced into cultivation in other warm countries; 

 in the middle of the eighteenth century it was first intro- 

 duced into California, at San Diego, it is said, and is now 

 largely cultivated in southern California. On one of the 

 columns is a fine plant of Bougainvillaea, a native of Brazil; 

 the bracts which surround the small flowers are bright ma- 

 genta colored; when in full bloom the plant makes a gor- 

 geous show. On one of the trellises back of the group of 

 the amaryllis family is a plant of the yellow jessamine 

 {Gelsemium sempervirens) of the south; it sends out its 

 pretty flowers usually in February, and they persist for 

 several weeks. In this house may also be found a number 

 of palms. Among these may be mentioned the character- 

 istic fan-palm of the California desert (Neozvashingtonia 

 robusta), and the palmetto (Sabal Palmetto), of our southern 

 States. A few temperate tree-ferns are also placed here. 



House No. 14. The general arrangement of this house 

 was mentioned when describing house No. 12. Entering 

 from house No. 15, to the left may be found plants of the 

 rosemary; this enjoys a reputation of long standing, for 

 it was held in high esteem by the ancient Greeks and 

 Romans, being regarded by them as the emblem of fidelity. 

 A little further to the left is the parachute flower (Cero- 

 pegia Sandersoni), from Natal. On the right are many 

 interesting members of the thistle family. On the other 

 side of the house may be found Aucuba japonica, from 

 Japan, and Corokia Cotoneaster, from New Zealand, both 

 members of the dogwood family, but not much resembling 

 our common flowering dogwood. Other plants of interest 

 may also be found here. 



House No. 75. The orchid family, to which this house 

 is devoted, is a widely distributed one, occurring in all 

 tropical regions, but finding its greatest development in the 

 Old World in India and the Malayan region, while in the 



