61 



handsome ornamental timber, useful in carriage building and cabinet 

 work. This has been exported in small quantities." (Hooper.) 



" It is full of resin, and gives, on infusion, a fine full tincture." 

 (Macfadyen.) 



PHASEOLUS LUNATUS, Linn. 

 Sugar Bean, Broad Bean, Hibbert Bean, Lima Bean. 



Native of West Indies and tropical America. A twining plant ; leaves 

 compound with one to three leaflets; flowers usually greenish-white ; 

 pod scimitar-shaped, compressed ; seeds purple or white. (Legumi- 

 nosce.) 



Beans of an excellent quality. 



PHASEOLUS VULGARIS, Linn. 

 Kidney Bean, Hibbert Pea, Haricot Bean, French Bean. 



Native of tropical Asia. A twining plant ; leaves compound, with 

 1 to 3 leaflets ; flowers usually white ; pod straightish ; seeds variable 

 in colour. (Leguminosce.) 



Beans edible. " The Kidney Bean is nearly twice as nutritious as 

 wheat." Mueller.) 



PHOKM1UM TENAX, Forst. 

 New Zealand Flax. 



Native of New Zealand, Norfolk Is., Chatham Is., and Auckland Is. 

 The Flax Lily of New Zealand has long narrow leaves, 3 to 6 feet long. 

 The branched flower-spike rises from 6 to 16 feet, and the flowers are 

 of an orange colour. (Liliaceoe.) 



It is under cultivation in the Hill Garden, Cinchona, where it 

 flowered in 1889. Erperiments are now being made as to its adapta- 

 bility for the plains. It grows on inferior ground, but thrives best on 

 rich soil. 



"A strong decoction of the root and leaf-bases is used in surgery 

 for dressing wounds with a view of producing ready and healthy granu- 

 lation." (F. A. Monckton.) 



The leaves give a very large percentage of fibre, viz., 15.20 percent., 

 compared with the 3 to 5 per cent, in the Agaves. The gummy matter, 

 however, requires that the fibre should be treated with some such sub- 

 stance as sulphite of soda in order to make it of superior quality. The 

 fibre is naturally white, soft, and of a silky lustre. It is used for 

 making ropes, and the refuse is an excellent paper material. 



PICR.ENA EXCELS A, Lindl. 



Bitter Ash, Bitter Wood, Jamaica Quassia. 



Native of West Indies. A tree up to 60 feet, in diameter up to 2 

 feet ; with pinnate leaves, small flowers of a pale yellowish- green, and 

 black berries. (Simarabacece.) 



