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HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT
The flora of the Colony is tropical, but this is about the northern limit of tropical flora. The alternation between hot humid summers and cool dry winters results in a dormant period for tropical plants during winter. These conditions promote the development of large flowers borne at definite seasons of the year. The consequence is that a genus repre- sented in Hong Kong and also in equatorial countries produces here a greater wealth of flowers of larger size.
There is a considerable diversity of flowering shrubs and trees, including magnolia, Michelia, Rhodoleia, Illicium, and Tutcheria. Six species of rhododendron grow wild; there is also a wild Gordonia and wild roses. The heather family is represented by a pink-belled Enkianthus, flowering at the time of the Chinese New Year. A Litsea also blooms at this time.
Bauhinia blakeana, named after a former Governor, Sir Henry Blake, and discovered by the fathers of the Missions Etrangères at Pokfulam, is among the finest of the Bauhinia genus anywhere in the world. Its origin is unknown; it is a sterile hybrid, never producing seed. A new and distinct species of camellia was discovered last year at Shing Mun. It was recently named Camellia granthamiana, in honour of the present Governor, Sir Alexander Grantham.
Fruit-bearing herbs include several wild hollies, Melodinus, Strychnos, wild kamquat, Gardenia, Maesa, Mussaenda ('the Buddha's Lamp'), Dichroa, several species of Callicarpa, Dianella, in the lily family, Raphiolepis, the so- called Hong Kong hawthorn, wild jasmine and wild persimmon.
Among fruits that are either poisonous or useful for medicine, are Strophanthus and Strychnos, Gelsemium, and Cerbera, abundant near the sea. Edible fruit includes a wild jackfruit, Artocarpus, rose-myrtle fruits, and wild bananas. Several species of persimmon are wild, but their fruits are too astringent to be eaten raw.
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