GENERAL-HONG KONG TREES
like the spokes of a wheel. There are several other species in the genus but it is doubtful whether any can be compared with the Hong Kong species for the size and brilliance of its fruits. The flowers which appear at the end of March, are small, greenish or pale pink in colour, and are borne in profusion, making the tree easy to recognize. The young follicles are green but on reaching maturity they change to yellow, orange- scarlet; and when ripe to a brilliant scarlet. Each follicle then splits on the lower side to expose two rows of jet black seeds a little larger than peas. The tree is commonly found in the ravines of Hong Kong island and the New Territories.
Looking-glass Tree (Heritiera littoralis)
A slow growing, spreading, evergreen tree which is of very distinct and ornamental appearance. It has a wide range of distribution, occurring from eastern Africa eastward to the islands of the Pacific. The large, thick leaves are smooth above, and silvery scaly beneath. Shadows strike clearly upon them; hence its common name, the Looking-glass Tree. The small, unisexual flowers, which have no petals, are borne in downy panicles 3 to 6 inches long. The calyx is yellowish green, bell- shaped, five-toothed and the stamens are united into a column, bearing five anthers at the top. Clusters of smooth, brown, woody fruits, each the size of a large walnut are developed after flowering. The wood which is dark brown and exceed- ingly hard, is used for boats, bridges, and poles.
Tutcheria (Tutcheria spectabilis)
This is a very beautiful evergreen tree attaining 30 feet in height and closely related to the Camellia. It was named by S. T. Dunn in 1908, in honour of W. J. Tutcher who succeeded him as Superintendent of the Botanical and Forestry Depart- ment. The tree grows wild in a valley above Little Hong Kong, on Mount Nicholson and elsewhere, and is cultivated in the Botanic Gardens and the Tai Po Kau forest reserve. The large
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