90 ^ THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 
nienced to flower. It formed a clump two feet in diameter and 
about two feet hig-h, with numerous flower heads. The flower 
heads and the individual florets also, were as much larger than the 
common Brunei la as that is larger than the lawn variety 
(Nana.) The flowers were also much lighter in color. In a 
yard near the Congregational church grows a plant of a somewhat 
related genus which I take to be Ajnga rcptans. It has a whorl 
of purplish blue flowers around every node from near the bottom 
to the top. Beside these is another patch that has pinkish flow- 
ers and another more slender variety with white flowers. A lawn 
on High street a few years ago was covered with the meadow 
cress (Cardaminc pratensis).^ This has a broad flat topped clus- 
ter of pinkish white flowers, somewhat like the pepper root, 
{Dent aria lanciniata. ) 
Bristol, Conn. 
SOME DECIDUOUS TROPICAL TREES. 
By Mrs. E. C. Anthony. 
Having supposed from childhood that tropical trees were ever- 
green, the changes and dropping of foliage in Nassau were very 
interesting. The silk-cotton tree (Ceiba) always an interesting 
tree from its great size, the massive buttresses that support its 
trunk, and huge horizontal limbs, is still more so from its pecul- 
iarity of succession of leaf and flower. It has been said that one 
should have it under examination for three years, in order to see 
the whole round of leaf, flower and fruit. 
There were five>magnificent specimens in front of the hotel which 
were the objects of notice. One in particular was in full leaf the 
last of November. How long it had been so, 1 do not know. 
About Christmas time the leaves, which resemble those of our 
Horsechestnut, began to fall, and this process continued three or 
four weeks, when the tree became entirely bare—this state lasting 
about two weeks. Then gradually and slowly the flower 
buds began to show. It was a month before the tree 
was in full . bloom, and attracting hosts of insects and 
many humming birds, with its sweet, heavy odor. The very short 
time during which the blossoms lasted hardly seemed to compen- 
sate for the long process of getting ready. The formation of the 
