Those in the florist trade who know these lilies are probably most familiar with two spectacular fragrant ones, particularly the huge all-white Casa Blanca, with its heady fragrance, and the showy Japanese species, Lilium auratum, with its large spotted petals.

Loefgrenianthus blanche-amesiae is a showy orchid species, inhabitant of Serra do Mar mountains in Brazilian southeast.

Some showy western species, such as Hakea multilineata, H. francisiana and H. bucculenta, require grafting onto hardy stock such as Hakea salicifolia for growing in more humid climates, as they are sensitive to dieback.

The American genus Ceanothus, which has several showy ornamental species, has nitrogen-fixing root nodules.

Phacelia sericea, the Silky Phacelia, Blue Alpine Phacelia, or Sky-pilot, is a showy perennial species of Phacelia endemic to western North America.

Although much is touted for the major dogwood species, a few plugs should be given to the less showy shrublike species, which also have their proper places.

This tree is actually a hybrid and has in its makeup some of Magnolia denudata as well as another showy species, Magnolia liliflora.

Almost all of these showy species hail from Japan and China.

Will we continue fecklessly exterminating our fellow travelers, as we did the dodo, the elephant bird, the painted vulture, the great auk and the 18 other showy storybook species memorialized in J. Patrick Lewis's "Swan Song"?