OCTOBER 1 TO DECEMBER 31. 1916. 57 



43642 to 43671— Continued. 



ments; it is an excellent fuel. The bark is made into ropes and the 

 fiber is used for calking boats. The fruits are succulent and mucilaginous 

 and when young are eaten a.s vegetables or pickled. They have also been 

 employed as pectoral medicines. (Adapted from Maiden, Useful Native 

 Plants of Australia, pp. 19, 165, J,01, 620, 639, and from Gamble, Manual 



* of Indian Timbers, p. 270.) , 



43655. Genista raetam Forsk. Pabacese. Retem. 

 (Retama raetam Webb.) 



A simple-leaved shrub, from 1 to 3 meters in height, found everywhere 

 on the sand dunes in various places in Egypt ; also in Tunis, Algeria, etc. 

 It is densely branched, and the leaves are about 5 mm. long. The sessile 

 white flowers, one to five in a cluster, are about a centimeter long; the 

 pods are inflated and abruptly beaked. The bitter roots are made into a 

 decoction which is used by the Arabs as a heart stimulant. The plant, 

 after maceration In water, is applied to wounds as a curative. (Adapted 

 from Forskal, Flora Aegyptico-Arabica, p. 2H, and from Muschler, 

 Manual Flora of Egypt, vol. 1, p. JflS.) 



43656. Gmelina arbokea Roxb. Verbenacese. Gumhar. 

 A large tree, occurring over a large part of India, but nowhere plenti- 

 ful, being found up to 5,000 feet altitude in moist places. It reaches a 

 height of over 100 feet and a diameter of about 5 feet and is found in 

 deciduous forests in moist, fertile valleys. It has smooth gray bark and 

 loses its leaves in hot weather. While the leaves are off, the flowers 

 appear, followed a little later by the new leaves. The wood is yellowish 

 or white, not very hard, but light and strong, with a handsome luster. 

 As it is easily worked and takes varnish well, it is used for dugout 

 canoes, furniture, carriages, toys, dolls, etc. In Madras the juice of the 

 root is used in cases of dysentery. The tree is often planted in avenues 

 and can readily be raised from seeds. (Adapted from Rodger, Forest 

 Bulletin {India) No. 16, 1913.) 



43657. Jatropha cttkcas L. Euphorbiacese. 



A large shrub or tree, up to 15 feet in height, found throughout tropical 

 America and Africa. It has long-petioled leaves, somewhat three to five 

 lobed, like the English ivy. The flowers are small and yellowish green, 

 occurring in many-flowered cymes. From the seeds there is obtained by 

 hot pressing an oil of great commercial value. Medicinally it is similar 

 in its action to croton oil, but is a milder laxative. Large quantities are 

 imported into Europe for soap manufacture and for lighting purposes. 

 It is said to be especially used in the manufacture of a transparent 

 soap for dressing woolen cloths. As a drying oil it is also very valuable. 

 The chief supply of this oil (Oleum infernale) now comes from the Cape 

 Verde Islands, where the Portuguese Government is making large planta- 

 tions of purgueira, as it is known. (Adapted from Bailey, Standard 

 Cyclopedia of Horticulture, vol. 3, p. 1720, and from the Bulletin of 

 the Bureau of Agricultural Intelligence, p. 278, April, 1911.) 



43658. Kalanchoe maemokata Baker. Crassulaceae. 

 {K. grandiflora A. Rich.) 



A very stout low-branching shrub, native to the mountains of Abyssinia. 



The oval succulent leaves are pale green, blotched with purple ; the young 



. leaves are orange-green with blood-red spots ; all of the leaves are crenate. 



