THE POISONOUS PLANTS OF BOMBAY. 63 



It may be noted here that like the leaves of the Castor-oil plant (Rici- 

 nus communis, Linn.') the leaves of Jatropha ourcas have galactagogue 

 properties. A. decoction of the leaves is used in the Cape de Verd 

 Islands to excite secretion of milk in women (A. A. B. in Maunder's 

 Treasury of Botany, Part I, page 363, Edition 1870). Dr. Bennett of 

 Sydney (Australia) is credited with having made the following 

 observation in his work entitled The Gatherings of a Naturalist : — 



' ; The milky acrid glutinous juice, when dropped on white linen, 

 produces an indelible stain, at first of a light-blue colour, but after 

 being washed changes to a permanent brown : it might, therefore, form 

 a very excellent marking ink." I have not been able to obtain such a 

 stain- Will any of my readers help me in settling this point ? The 

 oil of Jatropha ourcas seeds is said to be of a light colour, and used as 

 a substitute for Linseed oil, as well as for dressing cloth (Maunder's 

 Treasury of Botany). It is also said to form a basis for the red dye of 

 the cotton fabric known as Turkey red. 



The following remarks are made with the object of engaging the 

 attention of those earnest students of plant-life who are interested in 

 the investigation of the question as to hew the environment of a plant 

 in the Eastern and Western hemispheres respectively affect the exist- 

 ence and growth of any particular genus or species of this or that 

 plant. It is well-known that several members of the Euphorbiacese, 

 like several members of the Cactacete, are succulent plants. Strictly 

 speaking, Jatropha curcas is not a succulent plant, but at all times of the 

 year in Tropical East India, especially on the coast of Western India, in 

 the Konkan and in the Dekkan, it is rich in a milky juice. Such 

 plants, rich in milky juice all throughout the year, may during their 

 existence in the hot weather be aptly compared to camels — as the 

 "ships of the desert." Indeed, they provide for themselves a large 

 quantity of water and are then able to dispense with further supplies 

 for a long time without injury. " The cells of the aqueous tissue are 

 comparatively large, and their walls thin ; the active protoplasm within 

 forms a delicate layer round the walls — that is to say, a sac whose 

 cavity is filled with watery, often mucilaginous fluid." These remarks 

 of Kemer Von Marilaun's (Oliver's Translation, History of Plants, 

 p. 328, Vol. I., 1894, London) may well apply to Jatropha curcas. 



It may be noted here that the flowers of Jatropha curcas besides 

 being odourless don't appear to be invaded by insects. Cattle wont touch 



