273 



NOTES ON AUSTRALIAN ECONOMIC BOTANY.— No. I. 



By J. H. Maiden, F.L.S., &c. 

 (Curator op the Technological Museum.) 



I propose, under this heading, to give, from time to time, brief 

 notes on the products and uses of some of our native plants. 

 They are selected from a large quantity of supplementary informa- 

 tion which I have gathered together since the publication of my 

 " Useful Native Plants of Australia" over a year ago. 



FOODS. 



Drimys aromatica, F.V.M., and D. dipetala, F.v.M. N.O. 



Magnoliacese. 



Both these trees are known locally as " Pepper-trees." The 

 dried fruits of D. aromatica are black, rather shrivelled, sub- 

 globular, with short stalks, and much resembling cubebs in 

 appearance, except for the minute brown scars (varying from one 

 to six or more). They break down readily under the teeth, 

 forming a gritty powder, but in a very short time they burn the 

 tongue and roof of the mouth severely. They are very acrid, 

 with a flavour like allspice, only much more intense. The leaves 

 and bark also have a hot, biting, cinnamon-like taste. The bark, 

 leaves, and fruit are, as is well-known, sometimes used by country 

 people as a substitute for pepper. The barks of these two species 

 are being tested for their medicinal properties. 



D. aromatica finds its most northern extension on the Sugar 

 Loaf Mountain (Braid wood), and perhaps a trifle more north in 

 the Clyde Mountains, — though it has not yet been seen north of 

 the Sugar Loaf Mountain. Near our southern boundary, and 

 especially in the Gippsland ranges, it attains its greatest height 

 and diameter in the jvingle, where it is often found as a small 



