10 



where rubbish had been thrown, and they were transplanted 

 but died soon afterwards. In the early part of the season last 

 year two more plants were found, and this time the Curator 

 was successful in rearing them, and one is now in full flower. 

 These seeds must therefore have lain dormant in the ground 

 for at least 17 or 18 years. The only specimen at Kew appears 

 to have been sent from here, but whether they reared plants 

 from the seeds or not I do not know. In consequence of its 

 having been sent from here it is now included in the Flora 

 Capensis ; it will be thought by most readers that it is a native 

 of Natal, but I think that there may be some doubt on the 

 matter ; the seeds were received from the late Mrs. Saunders, 

 of Tongaat. I understood at the time that they came from 

 the interior of the continent, but Mr. Keit does not now seem 

 to remember whether or not he was told from whence they 

 came. I can only say that I have never met with it in any 

 part of the Colonj that I have visited, and its flowers are so 

 conspicuous and abundant that it could not escape observation 

 for very long. 



In the middle of April a Flower Show was held in Durban, 

 the first for a number of years, and it is hoped that they will 

 now be held regularly. A large number of plants not for com- 

 petition were sent from the Gardens, and Mr. Wylie was 

 awarded a gold medal for successful pot cultivation. 



The following plants have flowered for the first time in the 

 Garden : — 



Aloe minima Ocimum viride 



Aponogeton distachyon Pelargonium flabellifolium 



Castanospermum Cunninghami Pentas Wylei 

 Ceropegia, new sp. Pterospermum semisagittatum 



Ipomoea Saundersiana Terminal ia tomentosa 



Nymphaea, sp. from Beira Thunbergia grandiflora 



Packets of seeds have been received during the year as 

 under : — 



PACKETS. 



Botanic Gardens, Bangalore ... ... 2 



„ „ Saharunpur ... ... 122 



„ „ Adelaide ... ... ... 55 



,, „ Seychelles ... .,, 5 



„ „ Port Darwin ... ... 6 



„ Sydney ... ... ... 53 



Melbourne ... ... 20 



5> 



5? 



Baroda ... ... ... 24 



Gold Coast ... ... 1 



