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Abelia Engleriana. Abelia is a genus of small shrubs related to 
Diervilla and Lonicera with small oblique flowers in pairs. Abelia 
grandijlora, which is believed to be a hybrid, is much grown in the 
middle and southern states, and although it usually suffers at the 
north plants in sheltered positions in the A boretum often flower. 
Abelia Engleriana, a native of western China', appears to be much 
hardier and promises to be a useful small plant for the borders of shrub- 
beries. The flower is three-quarters of an inch long, the corolla light 
rose color on the outer surface and very pale yellow on the inner sur- 
face with conspicuous yellow blotches at the base of the lobes of the 
lower lip. In size, shape and color the flowers have a strong resem- 
blance to those of Kolkwitzia amabalis. 
Syringa reflexa. This is perhaps the most distinct of the Lilacs dis- 
covered by Wilson in western China. It is a stout and vigorous shrub, 
with foliage which in general appearance resembles that of S. villosa. 
It flowers freely and the narrow flower-clusters, which are nine or ten 
inches long, arch downward from near the base. The plants are per- 
haps handsomest before the flower-buds open, for these are bright red 
and more conspicuous than the open flowers which are pale rose color. 
It appears to be perfectly hardy and gives promise of being a first-rate 
garden plant. 
Syringa tomentella, another of the west China species, is also flow- 
ering well this year. The flowers, which are produced in large loose 
clusters, are longer and more slender than those of S. reflexa and are 
of the palest rose color. The foliage, like that of most of the new 
Chinese species, resembles that of S. villosa. 
Styrax japonica. Attention is called to the group of these plants on 
Hickory Path where they are perfectly at home, although in other 
parts of the Arboretum they have not proved entirely hardy. This is 
one of the handsomest of the species of this handsome genus, and 
every year at this time these plants are covered with white flowers 
hanging down from the branches on long slender stalks. That it is 
perfectly at home in this position is shown by the fact that hundreds 
of seedlings spring up every year under the old plants. 
Dwarf Buckeyes. In a bed in the Horsechestnut Group, which is on 
the right-hand side of the Meadow Road entering from the Jamaica 
Plain Gate, the new shrubby Aesculus georgiana with its short com- 
pact clusters of red and yellow flowers has been in bloom again this 
year and has proved itself a fine plant in this climate. With it is 
blooming one of the southern scarlet-flowered Buckeyes, Aesculus dis- 
color, var. mollis, sometimes found in books under the name of Aescu- 
lus austrina. This is a common and widely distributed shrub or small 
tree from Georgia to Texas and southeastern Missouri, and is the only 
red-flowered Buckeye found in the territory west of the Mississippi 
River. Long overlooked or confounded with other species by botanists, 
it has only recently been brought into gardens. It is one of the hand- 
somest flowering plants of the southern states, and it is fortunate that 
it is able to flourish in the Arboretum where it has now been growing 
for the last ten years. 
