33 



The huge massive climber ascending the trunk of the tall 

 palm, Dictyosperma album, is Strophanthus gratus, a very 

 showy plant when in flower. At the base of this climbing 

 plant is a fine clump of a tall-growing species of Costus, with 

 large, white flowers : the green shoots it will be observed, 

 have a peculiar spiral habit of growth. 



Note here the entrance to a gully in which a number of 

 interesting plants thrive. These will now be referred to 

 before proceeding along the main path. The large palm 

 growing on the left-hand side of the entrance is Arenga 

 saccharifera, the sugar-palm of the Malay Archipelago, 

 valuable to the natives of that region on account of its many 

 uses. The stalks of the flowers yield large quantities of sap 

 from which, on slight fermentation, toddy or palm wine is 

 obtained. On evaporation the sap yields a quality of excellent 

 sugar. If the tree is cut down before flowering, the starch 

 contained in the central part of the stem may be made into a 

 wholesome meal somewhat like sago. A huge specimen of 

 Bougainvillaea glabra wil] be observed climbing over a Catalpa 

 tree on the right of the entrance. Some distance off are 

 clumps of Carludovica palmaia and C. jamaicensis, members 

 of the Cyclanthaceae. The young leaves of this plant furnish 

 the material for making Panama hats. Further along is a 

 climbing Aroid, Monster a deliciosa, a Mexican plant which 

 bears a fine flavoured succulent fruit. Higher up the gully 

 are several specimens of the " Bastard Cabbage Bark " tree, 

 Andira inermis, a native of the West Indies, used as an 

 anthelmintic ; and the Butter tree of West Africa, Pentadesma 

 bufy racea. 



A small collection of palms, numbering about twenty 

 genera, is grown in and about this corner ; the more important 

 species are ; Verschaffeltia splendida, Stevensonia grandifolia, 

 Licaala grandis, Pinanga Kuhlii, Thrinax SLorrisii, 

 Ptychoraphis augusta, Martinezia caryotaefolia, Elaeis 

 guineensis, Hyophorbe Verschaffeltii, Dictyosperma album, 

 Acanthophoenix Alexandrae, Areca glandiformis, Washing- 

 tonia sonorae, and Euterpe edulis. 



Continuing on the path at the base of the hill, note on 

 the right Mangifera sylvatica, an Indian tree ; the Jujube, 

 Zizyphus Jujuba, which is widely cultivated in the East for 



