one of the handsomest trees of that country, is just beyond. The 
“Sacred Bamboo,’’ Nandina domestica , which is not really a 
bamboo and grows in China and Japan, is related to our common 
barberry. Near it is Butcher’s Broom, Ruscus aculeatus , from 
Europe whose leaf-like steins are often colored for Christmas 
decorations. The East Indian Anise, ILlicium Anisetum , related 
to Magnolia , is the plant for many years confused with the star 
anise of Japan. 
On the same east bench is a queer leafless relative of our knot- 
weed, Polygonum equisetiforme, from the Mediterranean region. It 
is all stem and tiny flowers and forms inextricable thickets in its 
native country. 
The west bench of the house, has on it the little blue daisy 
of South Africa, Felicia amelloides, a small aster-like shrub with 
solitary flowers at the ends of the twigs. Near it is the tea plant, 
Camellia Thea, of Tropical Asia, and the Peruvian Heath, Fabia?ta 
imbricata, which is related to the potato and sails under false 
colors so far as being a heath is concerned. It looks, however, a 
good deal like a true South African Heath. Near the door is the 
parlor ivy, Senecio sca?idens, from China, a thrifty vine that can 
be grown fairly well in ordinary house conditions. It has small 
yellow flowers not unlike the native Senecios. 
In the center of the house is the Kumquat, Portu?iella japonica , 
the Orange, Citrus sinensis, the Olive, Olea europaea, and the 
Loquat, Eriobolrya japonica, all bearing edible fruits and all of 
sufficient size to bear them here. Among them arethe tall sword- 
shaped leaves of New Zealand Flax, Phormium tefiax, which is 
to that country what sisal is to Yucatan. The date palm, Phoenix 
dactylifera, not yet of bearing age, and the true laurel of the 
ancients, Laurus ?iobilis, are also in the center. 
House 12— Keeping to the right, one of the first plants on the 
east bench is a small specimen of Bougai?ivillea glabra, from Brazil, 
probably the most magnificent vine in the world. Its great flaming 
flower clusters are carried up to the tops of thetallest houses and 
trees in the tropics. Another tropical vine, sometimes called the 
Mountain Rose, is Antigonon leptopus. It climbs to moderate 
heights and is related to the Buckwheat. Near it is the Indian 
Plum, Flacourtia sepiaria, belongingto a family of plants common 
in the tropics (Flacourtiaceae), but with no close relatives in our 
own flora. On the west bench are plants of the Bottle Brush, a 
species of Melaleuca, from Australia. Its large dense clusters 
perfectly suggest colored bottle brushes. There many other 
species of this genus in Australia all belonging to the Myrtle 
family, and many of them bearing very showy flowers. About the 
middle of the bench is the St. John’s Bread, Ceratonia siliqua, 
from the Mediterranean Region. It is related to our locust 
tree and bears long edible pods often sold in the shops on 
the East Side, and a common source of food in the plant’s 
native country. It is reputed to be the “locusts” which 
played a part in the diet of John the Baptist. The Oleander, 
Nerium Oleander, is found near the south end of the bench. It 
is a beautiful shrub of tropical and sub-tropical regions, with 
often vari-colored flowers. 
By far the most interesting plants from a botanical view-point 
to be found in our collection, are in the large tubs in the center 
of the house. They are Cycads, mostly from Australia, and belong 
to an ancient but vanishing race of plants. They have no common 
names known to us, but attention should be drawn to Macrozamia 
Moorei and Macrozamia spiralis, both secured by the Garden from 
the interior of New South Wales at very considerable trouble and 
