138 



PAXTON'S FLOWER GARDEN. 



Coccoloba maceophylla. Desfontaines. A noble 

 simple stemmed erect tree, "with large leathery leaves 

 and straight spikes of crimson flowers. Belongs to the 

 Buckwheat Order {Polygonaced). Native of South 

 America (?). Introduced by the Royal Botanic Garden, 

 Kew. (Fig. 91.) 



One of the most striking plants which flowered in the great stove 

 of the Royal Gardens during the year 1850 is that here represented, 

 of which plants were long since received from Paris, under the name 

 of Coccoloba macrophylla of Desfontaines. The name is far from appro- 

 priate, for the leaves yield greatly in size to the C.pubescens, the latter 

 being three or four times the size of the present. Our plant, however, 

 equals the pubescens in height (our largest plant being twenty-three 

 feet high) : it tapers gracefully upwards, is leafy all the way up, and 

 terminated at the top by a dense compact thick club-shaped raceme of 

 flowers, of which the rachis, pedicels, and flowers are of the richest 

 scarlet. A plant, with simple or scarcely divided, furrowed erect 

 stems, twenty to thirty feet high ; leafy from below to the top. Leaves 

 alternate, distant, dark green, a foot or more long, horizontally spread- 

 ing, cordate-ovate, half-stem-clasping, sessile, acute or acuminate, 

 strongly nerved, wrinkled and reticulated, rather blistered. Raceme 

 terminal, subsessile, erect, two or more feet long, the flowers so 

 numerous and dense that they appear to form a compact cylindrical 

 spike ; every part of a rich scarlet colour, save the stigmas, which are 

 yellow. Tube of the calyx funnel-shaped ; limb cut into 4 — 6 rounded 

 concave lobes. Stamens 8 — 12, monadelphous below. Ovary tri- 

 quetrous, red. Styles 3. Stigmas capitate. Pruit berried, red. The 

 genera Coccoloba, Triplaris, and Podoptera are the tropical representa- 

 tives of the Order Polygonacece, and may be viewed as examples of the 

 genera Rheum, Rumex, and Polygonum, taking the form of trees or 

 shrubs. They are natives of the West Indies and tropical America, 

 and often attain a considerable height. They generally have large 

 entire coriaceous leaves, and bear spikes or racemes of flowers, suc- 

 ceeded by bunches of berry-like fruit, which, as many of the species 

 inhabit the shores, have given rise to the English name, "sea-side 

 grapes." It requires to be kept in the stove, grows freely in light 

 loam, and may be increased by cuttings treated in the usual way for 

 tropical plants of like nature. — Botanical Magazine, t. 453ti. 



Rogieea amcena. Planchon [alias Rondeletia 

 tliyrsoidea of Gardens). A hothouse shrub, with clus- 

 ters of rose-coloured flowers. Native of Guatemala. 

 Belongs to the Cinchonads. Introduced 

 by Mr. Skinner. (Fig. 92.) 



This, and other species resembling it, appear 

 occasionally from among the earth and rubbish hang- 

 ing to the Orchids imported from Guatemala. They 

 resemble Viburnums, and more especially Lauras- 

 tines, but with red or rose-coloured flowers. That 

 now figured is common under the name of Rondeletia 

 tliyrsoidea, and is a species of considerable beauty. 

 All the parts are covered with soft hairs. The leaves 

 are oblong, rather the broadest at the base, nearly 

 sessile, with large ovate intermediate stipules. The 

 flowers, of a bright rose a little mixed with yellow at 

 the throat, are in very short compact roundish cymes 



