SUNDAY, JANUARY 22, 1989
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THIS UNIQUE SPECIES WAS FIRST DISCOVERED
BY A FOREST GUARD, MR CHAN PO, AT TAI MO SHAN IN 1955 AND NAMED AFTER THE THEN GOVERNOR, SIR ALEXANDER GRANTHAM.
IT IS A CAMELLIA OF ABOUT THREE METRES HIGH WITH SMOOTH GREY BARK AND ALTERNATE AND SHORT-STALKED LEAVES. ITS SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS LIES IN THE SIZE OF ITS FLOWER WHICH CAN GROW UP TO 12 CM OR EVEN MORE IN DIAMETER WHEN FULLY OPEN, MAKING IT ONE OF MOST MAGNIFICENT AMONG CAMELLIAS.
THE SECOND GROUP COMPRISES CAMELLIA HONGKONGENSIS RHODODENDRON HONGKONGENSE, BOTH OF WHICH WERE NAMED AFTER HONG TO MARK THE FIRST DISCOVERY OF THESE SPECIES.
THE
AND
KONG
HONG NOW
ONLY A FEW TREES OF THE FORMER SPECIES WERE FOUND IN KONG WHEN COLONEL EYRE FIRST REPORTED THIS VARIETY IN 1849. IT IS MORE NUMEROUS IN THE FORESTED RAVINES OF VICTORIA PEAK AND POK FU LAM.
CAMELLIA HONGKONGENSIS IS UNIQUE AMONG WILD CAMELLIAS IN HONG KONG IN THAT ITS FLOWER IS NOT WHITE BUT DEEP GLOWING PINK IN COLOUR. THIS SPECIES IS ALSO FOUND IN SOUTH CHINA.
THE LATTER SPECIES WAS DISCOVERED BY LIEUTENANT COLONEL CHAMPION IN 1840 ON HONG KONG ISLAND. RHODODENDRON HONGKONGENSE SPECIES DESERVING PROTECTION BECAUSE AS IT ONLY GROWS IN THE ARTIFICIAL PROPAGATION IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.
J.G. IS A WILD,
FIRST
OTHERS SPECIES FEATURED IN THE SERIES ARE THOSE DISCOVERED IN HONG KONG BETWEEN 1840 AND 1908 AND NAMED AFTER THEIR DISCOVERERS.
TUTCHER, A
TUTCHERIA SPECTABILIS WHICH WAS NAMED AFTER MR W.J. FORMER SUPERINTENDANT OF BOTANICAL AND FORESTRY 1N HONG KONG, AND RHODOLEIA CHAMPIONI, WHICH WAS NAMED AFTER LIEUTENANT COLONEL J.G. CHAMPION, ARE TWO TYPICAL EXAMPLES.
Tr KNOW
MR CHEUNG ADDED THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO MORE ABOUT THESE RARE SPECIES ARE WELCOME TO VISIT THE HONG KONG HERBARIUM RUN BY THE DEPARTMENT.
THE HERBARIUM, WHICH HAS A STOCK OF SPECIMENS INCLUDING KNOWN INDIGENOUS SPECIES AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD, IS ON THE THIRD GOVERNMENT OFFICES, 393 CANTON ROAD, KOWLOON.
OVER 35,000 PLANT RELATED SPECIES IN FLOOR, CANTON ROAD
GROUPS
IT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND TO SCHOOL BOOKING, WHICH CAN BE MADE BY TELEPHONING 3-7332121.
TH PRIOR
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