58 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



tree first made known to science in 1RG9 through Pere David, after whom 

 it was named by the French botanist liaillon. 



It assumes a pyramidal form, 20-40 feet in height, somewhat re- 

 sembling an unpruned Pear tree, producing spurs in a similar manner, 

 on which the flowers are borne, though these in themselves are insignifi- 

 cant — in striking contrast to the magnificent pure-white bracts with which 

 they are subtended. These are two in number, and vary from 4-8 in. 

 in length by H-4^, in. in breadth, broadly ovate in outline and acuminate, 

 with irregularly serrated edges. 



The leaves are handsome, cordate at base with serrate margins, dark 

 green on the upper surface, slightly glaucous and glabrous beneath, and 

 4 in. broad by 4^ in. long. 



A tree in its native habitat when covered with the white bracts can 

 be seen at a great distance amidst the dark green vegetation that clothes 

 the mountain side, and as it slightly waves in the breeze resembles a 

 moving pyramid of snow. Dr. Henry states: "The large white bracts, 

 mingled with the green leaves of the tree, give it an extraordinary and 

 beautiful appearance." Botanists differ somewhat in their opinions 

 regarding the affinities of the plant, some placing it in Cornacea and 

 others in Hamamelidacece. 



In describing it in Hooker's " Icones Plantarum," tab. 1961, Prof. 

 Oliver states : " From the conspicuous areolation of the receptacle of the 

 inflorescence after the fall of the stamens and the circular disposition of 

 the staminal cicatrices upon each areole I cannot but think the inflo- 

 rescence is a capitulum of closely crowded achlamydeous male flowers with 

 one obliquely lateral female one." This supposition can of course only 

 be proved to be correct by a study of the embryology of the flowers. 

 Cultivators, therefore, who first succeed in flowering Davidia will not 

 only win laurels in the horticultural field, but will also greatly assist 

 botanical science by supplying fresh material from which its affinities 

 may be worked out and its place in the natural system defined. 



Many thousands of this remarkable tree are growing and will shortly 

 be distributed. 



The Ranunculus family offer some useful additions to our herbaceous 

 plants in Aconitum Wilsoni and Aeonitum Hemsleyanum. The former 

 (which flowers freely in Surrey) is a new species named by Dr. Stapf in 

 honour of its discoverer, and is distinct in habit from any species at 

 I'M' I'll' mi cilt i\ ;ii ion. The latter is a climbing species with large blue 

 flowers, first discovered by Dr. Henry and named in compliment to the 

 keeper of the herbarium at Kew. (Fig. 13.) The remarkable climbing 

 habit of this species connects the genus with Clematis, to which it is allied. 



Clematis is represented by several species, of which probably the best 

 will prove to be Clematis Armandi, an evergreen species with trifoliate 

 le&vefl and numerous white flowers, 1\ in. in diameter, borne in corymbs 

 in the axils of the leaves and terminating the branches. (Fig. 14.) 



Tii. 7 i mi (iwai are represented by several genera, <>[ winch the type 

 genua Magnolia contains two species worthy of note, namely, Magnolia 

 Pfhimi/i and 31<i<jiwlia Jnjpolcuca. 



Magnolia hypoleuca has already been introduced many years to 

 British garden! by way of the United States from Japan, but is still. 



