Page 31 - OctoberSpotlight
P. 31
October
Bougainvillea- Now we can enjoy another brilliant flower that fills every corner of the city with beauty all year round. It is popular with gardeners for its exuberant growths a climber. The wonderful magenta, orange, white or purple bracts surround three tiny waxy flowers giving it the Dominican name, Trinitaria, and representing the founding fathers: Duarte, Sánchez and Mella.There is a romantic story of its discovery. In the 1760s French Count Louis Antione de Bougainville set out on a round the world voyage of discovery. As was usually the case in those days, there was a botanist aboard, Philibert Commerçon. Imagine the incredible delight of coming upon this beauty in the jungle! He named the plant in honour of the count. Kate Wallace
