ENG-1950 — Page 145

a brilliant feature of the landscape, visible from considerable distance because of the abundance of large red flowers produced before the leaves appear. In the Colony parakeets may often be seen pecking at the flowers. The flowers are practically complete when they drop off. The fruit is a large pod filled with a soft silky or cotton-like mass. This cotton-like substance is used by the Chinese for stuffing pillows and cushions for chair seats and as a packing material. dried flowers are much used locally as medicine to reduce inflam- mation. Although the wood is soft, the tree stands up reasonably well to typhoons; branches may be torn off in high winds but the tree makes new growth and quickly recovers.

3. Chinese Banyan (Ficus Retusa)

The

The Chinese Banyan is one of the most popular trees in the Colony. It is generally to be found growing along roadsides or near villages. It is of rather slow growth with a short thick gnarled trunk (as are also the branches of old specimens) and has a wide spreading, symmetrical dense foliaged crown. An interesting feature of this tree is the aerial roots which often grow from the trunk and branches in great numbers, hanging down like a beard. These occasionally reach the ground, take root and form thick supporting props for the branches. The leaves are 2 to 4 inches long, oval in shape, dark glossy green and short-stemmed. The minute flowers are borne inside small berries produced during April. At the tip

of each berry is a hole through which an egg-bearing female wasp enters and dies after laying her eggs. These wasps are beneficial for they effect the pollination of flowers which would not occur without their help. Fruits develop with little change in size or shape except that they become dark red or white in colour.

4.

Siamese Cassia (Cassia Siamea)

A large evergreen tree, native of India, Ceylon and Malaya. It was introduced to this Colony over 80 years ago. A few specimens which have attained a height of about 50 feet are to be seen in the Protestant Cemetery in Happy Valley. It flowers in the late summer and for several weeks is very conspicuous and beautiful. The flowers are yellow, about 1 inches in diameter, borne in terminal clusters along the branches. The leaves are divided into 12 pairs of dark green, obtuse leaflets, each about 2 inches long. numerous long narrow pods are clustered and hang from one season to the next, becoming light grey. In its native country it is grown extensively for firewood and windbreaks.

5.

The Hong Kong Bauhinia (Bauhinia Blakeana)

The

This medium-sized evergreen tree with long spreading and drooping branches is probably the most beautiful ornamental tree in the Colony. Its origin is unknown, and as it never produces seed it is possibly a sterile hybrid. The specific name was given in commemoration of Sir Henry Blake, Governor of Hong Kong 1898- 1903. When first discovered in 1908 only a few examples existed. Fortunately there are now many hundreds of this lovely tree on the Island. The only method of propagating this species is by cuttings. It may be easily recognised by its simple rounded leaves with a deep cleft dividing the apex. It has a long flowering period-from

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