6 
THE BOTANIC GARDENS, SINGAPORE 
The Plant House. —The arrangement and labelling of groups of plants was 
continued, and by the end of the year descriptive labels had been provided 
for the following groups: Aroids (two labels), Zingiberacese, Marantacese, 
Musaceae, Dracaena, Asparagus, Cyclanthacese, Cycadaceae, Conifers, Tacca, 
Malayan ferns, Adiantum (maidenhair ferns), Succulents, Lycopodium, 
Epiphytic ferns, and a few labels for special plants. These labels are written 
with special ink on sheets of white celluloid, and prove very satisfactory. The 
ink tends to fade in a strong light, but in shady places lasts in good condition 
for several months. Simple metal sheaths are used to support the labels. 
Individual plants are labelled as before with embossed aluminium labels. Some 
trouble was experienced owing to corroding of these labels in the moist and 
shady parts of the plant house. If is hoped that this trouble has been overcome 
by the use of aluminium (instead of brass) tacks and screws to attach the 
labels to their wooden supports; these were obtained through the courtesy of 
Messrs. Diethelm & Co. 
Additions were made to the collection of local epiphytes in the plant house, 
and a very interesting set of these plants is now on show, including seven 
species of Dischidia, Myrmecodia tuberosa, Cyrtandra suffruticosa, Ficus 
diversifolia , Scheffiera spp., and a number of ferns and other plants previously 
reported. One exhibit consists of a black termites’ nest, removed from a tree 
overhanging the Sedili river, wdiich has growing from it several different 
epiphytes; the termites -were not disturbed in the removal of the nest, and 
continue their activities. Numerous additions were made to the special series 
of local orchid plants in the small house. 
An attempt has been made to cultivate some of the Malayan species of 
Didymocarpus and allied genera which are among the few local ornamental 
flowering herbaceous plants. Many of these are very difficult to grow under 
artificial conditions, but a few have been found to respond to pot culture, 
including a very fine new species of Parabcea brought from Kemaman by 
Mr. CORNER. Didymocarpus kompsoboea, with pure white flowers, has also 
grown and flowered well, and the faintly pink D. platypus , but plants of D. 
quinquevulnera, after surviving for a few months, gradually died. It appears 
that these plants have particular soil requirements, and the management of 
correct watering is also a difficulty. 
Improvements were made to the steps in front of the plant house enabling 
a more effective use of them to be made for the display of flowering plants in 
pots, and a set of large square concrete pots was made from a design by 
Mrs. Holttum. These large concrete pots contain conifers, which give a 
pleasing break in the continuity of the flowering plants. Under Mr. Lennon’s 
care, a good display was maintained on the steps throughout the year. Potted 
plants of Bougainvillea Mrs. Butt proved most useful in adding brilliance to 
the colour scheme. At the foot of the steps, on the side of the road facing the 
Plant House, two shallow concrete tanks were made for cultivation of 
Nelumbium, Eichornea, and other sun-loving wafer plants which cannot 
conveniently be grown in the lake. These tanks, with a paved section at each 
end, finish off the foot of the steps more effectively than has hitherto been 
possible, and the scheme has been continued as a raised side table opposite the 
whole length of the plant house, with paved sections to support pot plants. 
The varieties of Spathoglottis are displayed in this section. 
Notes on plants of mterest. —The most interesting acquisition during the 
year was seeds and plants of the remarkable Kinabalu plant Scyphostegia 
borneensis (which will probably be made the type of a new plant family) 
presented by Mrs. Clemens. Two plants brought over by Mrs. Clemens have 
survived, and sixteen seedlings have been raised. This is presumably the first 
time Scyphostegia has ever been brought into cultivation, and it is to be hoped 
that the plants may grow to maturity so that easily accessible material may be 
available for study. The Siamese Afgekia sericea continued to flower freelv 
and almost continuously, and produced seeds for the first time. This is a 
valuable addition to our ornamental climbers. Penias coccinea was used 
successfully as a bedding plant and flowered freely and continuously. Lantana 
Sellowiana is a very useful creeping or climbing plant, flowering freely, in 
habit very like Verbena. Lankesteria Barteri, a slender shrub recently 
introduced from Kew, flowered well once. It is not a strong-growing plant at 
present, and it seems likely to be seasonal in flowering. Scutellaria costaricana , 
