230 DR. KIBK OK THE 



The small branclies are armed with strong spines, each Ijearing 

 a few leaves ; these are shining, ovate or oblong. 



The lieads of male flowers are the size of a pea, white, and deci- 

 duous ; the female form a compound fruit, the size of a walnut, 

 uneven on the surface, of a yellowish cream-colour, with seeds 

 imbedded in an agreeable pulp. By the natives of Sena it is 

 named " Pambuku." Specimens of plant and wood are in the 

 National Herbarium at Kew, also at Edinburgh. 



The following is the report obtained for tne by James Toung, 



Esq., of LimeJaeld : 



*' I have just got the report upon the sample of wood. It gives 

 a colouring-matter somewhat between quercitron-bark and fustic. 

 There was not sufficient to make as many trials as they could 

 have wished ; but it would be worth at this time £6 10^. per ton. 



" Quercitron-bark at present is £7, and fustic £6 per ton. 



"A ton of the wood would be required to ascertain properly its 

 worth. 



Messrs. Harter will give above price for a ton, and afterwards 

 give full reports upon it, 



" It might of course be more valuable than either bark or fustic, 

 when tried on a large scale. 



u 



(Signed) « John Thom. 



99 



On the Palms of Eist Tropical Africa. 

 By John KibI, M.D.,F.L.S. 



[Read March 16, 1865.] 



The Palms of the lands lately explored on the Zambesi, Nyassa, 

 and Eovuma are few in number ; they belong to the six genera 

 Cocos^ JElceiSy Phcenioc^ Borassus, Sophia, and Hyphtsne. 



In no other group of plants is the difference which exists be- 

 tween the flora of the African continent and the adjacent islands 

 of Madagascar, the Masearene, Comoro, and Seychelles mor^ 

 marked than in this ; and none illustrates better the uniformity 

 of vegetation over the whole of that continent itself within the 



tropics. 



:5;t;cifeiia 



grown 



iportan 



