42 



AN ALPHABETICAL LIST OF 



Discocactus insignis.— A West Indian variety of the Cactus family, 

 bearing flowers that smell like Orange blossoms. 



Dodecatheon Meadia(.4??zer/ca?z Cowslip, or Shooting Star of the Prairie 

 Indians). — The old and sancy-looking American Cowslip is the 

 most beautiful member of the Primrose family amongst the flowers 

 of California and other parts of the United States. Called in the 

 West the Shooting Star, from the manner in which the floral leaves 

 are reflexed, this peculiarity and delicacy of colouring makes the 

 entire appearance of the flowers one of exquisite beauty. Its odour 

 is strong and spicy, like Cinnamon, and at times very similar to the 

 most fragrant Pinks. 



Dolichodeira tubiflora. — A gesneraceous plant of the Gloxinia family 

 w^th large white scented flowers resembling single Tuberoses ; the 

 fragrance from one single plant is sufficient to perfume a large 

 conservatory. 



Dombeya. — A genus of tropical shrubs from Eastern Africa and the 

 islands adjacent thereto. D. acutaMguIa bears clusters of blush 

 coloured flowers with a Hawthorn scent, as also does D. Master sii, 

 D. vihurnifolia, and D. tilia^folia. 



Doryphora sassafras. — An Australian tree. The leaves emit an agree- 

 able aromatic odour resembling Fennel. 



Dracaena. — Although this beautiful tribe of plants, from sub-tropical 

 regions, are grown in temperate climates for their ornamental 

 foliage, it may be worth repeating a paragraph referring to the 

 scented properties of their flowers taken from The Field : — ' Is it not 

 unusual for Draceenas to flower in this climate ? I have some now 

 just bursting into splendid bloom ; one tree has three large heads, 

 and another two ; the flowers formed early in April, and are now 

 just opening. I think it was in 1887, that hot season, that they 

 flowered last, and every one who saw them seemed amazed at their 

 doing so in this country. The flowers came to great perfection, 

 the perfume was most powerful in the air for a long distance, and 

 the seeds ripened perfectly ; we sowed a quantity and all grew, 

 and now we have no end of fine plants.' 



In their native habitats many varieties bear delightfully scented 

 sprays of bloom, notably D. reflexa. and D. fragrans. 



Dracocephalum moldavicum [Moldavian Balm). — An annual, re- 

 markable principally for the aromatic fragrance of its leaves : there 

 are other kinds that are perennial — one of them, D. canariense, or 

 Cedronella triphylla, is better known as Balm of Gilead — and 

 similarl^^ attractive. 



Drimys Winteri. — An evergreen tree of the Magnolia family from 

 South America, bearing fragrant Jasmine-like blue-white flowers. 



