Dombeya
(named in honour of Joseph Dombey, a French botanist of the eighteenth century; he travelled in Peru and Chili as the companion of Ruiz and Pavon). ORD. Sterculiaceae. Ornamental stove evergreen trees or shrubs. Flowers axillary or terminal, in few or densely-flowered cymes. There are nearly thirty species, all natives of Africa or the Mascarene Islands. They thrive in a compost of sandy loam and turfy peat. Cuttings of nearly firm young shoots will root in sand, if placed under a glass, and in bottom heat, in April. D. acutangula (acute-angled). fl. red, large, in dichotomous crowded corymbs. l. smooth, cordate, acuminate, with three to five incised shallow, broad, or deep narrow, palmate lobes. h. 10ft. Mauritius, 1820. A low tree or shrub. SYN. D. angulata. (B. M. 2905 represents a variety in which the leaves are not at all lobed.) D. angulata (angled). A synonym of D. acutangula.
D. Burgessiae (Mrs. Burgess's).* fl. large, with spreading white petals, marked at their bases with a pleasing bright rosy tint, which also extends up the veins into the centre; disposed in large corymbose clusters. August to December. l. bright green, pubescent, from 6in. to 9in. long. h. 10ft. South Africa, 1865. (B. M. 5487.) D. ferruginea (rusty-leaved). fl. white. h. 15ft. Mauritius' 1815. D. Mastersii (Masters's).* fl. white, fragrant; peduncles axillary, bearing simple or sub-compound corymbs. l. cordate-ovate, velvety. Tropical Africa, 1867. (B. M. 5639.) D. viburniflora (Guelder-rose-flowered). fl. white, about 1in. across, borne in terminal corymbose heads, 5in. in. diameter. February. l. large, cordate, three-lobed. h. 15ft. Comorin Islands, 1850. (B. M. 4568.)