C. CAPITATA (syn Benthamia fragifera).—­Nepaul, 1825.  An evergreen shrub, with oblong, light green leaves and terminal inconspicuous greenish flowers, surrounded by an involucre of four large, pinky-yellow bracts.  It is this latter that renders the shrub so very conspicuous when in full flower.  Unfortunately, the Benthamia is not hardy throughout the country, the south and west of England, especially Cornwall, and the southern parts of Ireland being the favoured spots where this handsome shrub or small growing tree—­for in Cornwall it has attained to fully 45 feet in height, and in Cork nearly 30 feet—­may be found in a really thriving condition.  Around London it does well enough for a time, but with severe frost it gets cut back to the ground, and though it quickly recovers and grows rapidly afterwards, before it is large enough to flower freely it usually suffers again.  The fruits are as large and resemble Strawberries, and of a rich scarlet or reddish hue, and though ripe in October they frequently remain on the trees throughout the winter.  Both for its flowers and fruit, this Nepaul shrub-tree is well worthy of a great amount of trouble to get it established in a cosy corner of the garden.  Rich, well-drained loam is all it wants, while propagation by seed is readily effected.

C. FLORIDA, the Florida Dogwood, is not always very satisfactory when grown in this country, our climate in some way or other being unsuitable for its perfect development.  It is a handsome shrub or small-growing tree, with small flowers surrounded by a large and conspicuous white involucre.  The leaves are ovate-oblong, and pubescent on the undersides.  It is a valuable as well as ornamental little tree, and is worthy of a great amount of coddling and coaxing to get it established.

C. KOUSA (syn Benthamia japonica).—­Japan.  This is a very distinct and beautiful flowering shrub.  Flowers very small individually, but borne in large clusters, and yellow, the showy part being the four large, pure white bracts which subtend each cluster of blossoms, much like those in Cornus florida, only the bracts are more pointed than those of the latter species.  Being quite hardy, and a plant of great interest and beauty, this little known Cornus is sure to be widely planted when better known.

C. MACROPHYLLA (syn C. brachypoda).—­Himalayas, China and Japan, 1827.  This is an exceedingly handsome species, of tabulated appearance, occasioned by the branches being arranged almost horizontally.  The leaves are of large size, elliptic-ovate, and are remarkable for their autumnal tints.  The elder-like flowers appear in June.  They are pure white and arranged in large cymes.  C. macrophylla variegata is a distinct and very ornamental form of the above, in which the leaf margins are bordered with white.