Gordonia
(named in honour of Alexander Gordon, a nurseryman contemporary with Philip Miller). Including Polyspora. ORD. Ternstraemiaceae. A genus comprising ten species of greenhouse or hardy trees, natives of North America, and of tropical and sub-tropical Asia. Flowers often showy; peduncles solitary, one-flowered. Leaves evergreen, entire or crenate. The hardy species are very handsome, and deserve careful culture; they thrive in a moist peat, or leaf mould and sand. The greenhouse species succeed in a similar compost, with ordinary treatment. Propagated by layers, or by imported seeds.
G. anomala (anomalous).* fl. cream-coloured, sessile, solitary, usually axillary. November. l. obovate-oblong, serrulated; upper ones entire. h. 3ft. Tropical and sub-tropical Asia, 1816. Greenhouse. (B. M. 4019, under name of Polyspora axillaris.)
G. grandis (great). fl. white, large; corymbs few-flowered, terminal. 1880. A very handsome greenhouse species, with leaves somewhat like those of the Cherry Laurel.
G. javanica (Javan). A synonym of Schima Noronhoe.
G. Lasianthus (hairy-flowered).* fl. white, 4in. across, fragrant; pedicels axillary. July and August. l. oblong, smooth, serrated, coriaceous. h. 8ft. to 10ft. (in England). North America, 1739. Hardy. (B. M. 668.)
G. pubescens (downy).* fl. white, with yellow filaments, fragrant, almost sessile, 3in. across; petals and sepals rather silky on the outside. August. l. obovate-lanceolate, pubescent beneath, somewhat serrated, membranous. h. 4ft. to 6ft. (in England). North America, 1774. Hardy.