766 



ON THE VOLCANO OP TAAL, 



extended first towards the west and afterwards into China, where 

 it is called Chek-law. It owes its spread not so much to its 

 popularity as a fruit, as to its ornamental character and medicinal 

 virtues. It is seldom seen on the table, and rarely or never in 

 the markets. 



105. SoNNERATiA ACiDA. L. In Tagalo and Visayan, Pagat- 

 pat, in Sundanese and Javanese Bako, in Malay Bakor, but this 

 applies to a good many mangroves. A species common on all the 

 swamps and salt water marshes throughout the Malay Archipelago. 

 In Western Borneo and the Malay Peninsula it lines the rivers to 

 the exclusion of other trees. The Europeans call it the " Willow 

 tree," which it is not unlike, except that it has a large green 

 apple-like fruit, with the valves of the persistent calyx all round 

 as in popular representations of the sun's flaming rays. It is not 

 uncommon in North Australia. 



PASSIFLORACE.^. 



106. Carica papaya, L. In most of the modern Indian 

 languages the fruit which we call papaw, is called papaya, itself a 

 corruption of the Carib ababi (De Candolle). It is supposed that 

 the original habitat of this plant is from the Gulf of Mexico or 

 the West Indies. Although much eaten by the natives it is not 

 highly esteemed by European.s, nor do I think the fruit ever comes 

 to as much perfection in India as I have seen it attain in Australia. 

 The young fruit boiled is an excellent substitute for vegetable 

 marrow. It is said that the leaves of the tree make meat tender 

 if they are well folded round it. I have seen this tried with 

 success, but I have failed to produce the same effect when I made 

 the experiment myself. The Chinese call it Muk-kwa. 



CUCUHBITACE^. 



107. Lagenaria vulgaris, Ser. in DC. Prod. This is the 

 well-known gourd plant which, under the name of Calabash in the 

 West and various appellations elsewhere, is known almost in every 



