FABACEiE, OR LEGUMINOS^. 



long, curved, shortly tomentose (at least when young). W. and A. — 

 Bark like that of A. ferruginea in its properties. 



*#* Besides these several New Holland Acacias yield a substance simi- 

 lar to Catechu, especially 566. A. mollisima, 566 a. A. decurrens, and 

 566 b. A. melanoxylun. The extract of this bark has been exported 

 in considerable quantity under the name of extract of " Mimosa bark" 

 from Van Diemen's Land. 



I find in a recent work on that Island, that in consequence of the 

 bark having been boiled in iron vessels in the process of manufacturing 

 the extract, the latter although of great strength did not answer in 

 England, as it was found to impart a colour to the leather, which it also 

 rendered brittle. This was in the year 1828. Accordingly in the fol- 

 lowing years 1829, 30 and 31, bark alone was shipped at Hobart Town 

 for England, in quantities as follows : viz. 



1829. 1830. 1831, 



Cwt. qr. lb. Cwt. qr. lb. Cwt. qr. lb, 



3,700 1 12 24,472 3 20 39,264 20 



VACHELLIA. 



Flowers polygamous, bisexual, and male. Calyx 5-toothed. 

 Corolla tubular, gamopetalous, 5-(occasionally 6-) toothed, 

 Stamens very numerous, distinct. Legume cylindrical, turgid, 

 scarcely dehiscent, filled with pulp, and a double row of seeds. 

 W. and A. 



567. V. Farnesiana W. and A. i. 272. — Mimosa Farnesiana 

 Linn. sp. 1506. Roxb. fl. ind. ii. 557. Acacia Farnesiana 

 Willd. iv. 1083. DC. prodr. ii. 461. A. indica Desv. journ. 

 hot. 1814. i. p. 69. DC. prodr. ii. 462 East and West In- 

 dies and Africa. 



A large shrubby or small tree, armed with stipulary straight thorns. 

 Leaves bipinnated : pinnae 4r-8 pair, with a gland between the lower 

 pair and often between the uppermost ; leaflets 10-20 pair, linear, nearly 

 glabrous. Petioles and peduncles more or less pubescent. Flowers 

 capitate; heads globular, 2-3 together, each on an axillary peduncle. 

 — Bark exudes a considerable quantity of gum. Flowers distilled, 

 yield a delicious perfume. W. and A. 



PROSOPIS. 



Flowers polygamous. Calyx 5-toothed. Petals 5, distinct. 

 Stamens 10 ; filaments scarcely united at the base. Legume 

 continuous, pulpy inside, linear, compressed, often knobby where 

 the seeds are, and almost separable between them. — Trees or 

 shrubs, armed or unarmed. Leaves bipinnate ; pinnae 1-4 pairs ; 

 leaflets many pairs, oblong-linear. Spikes axillary, stalked, long ; 

 flowers rather distant, smooth, greenish or yellowish. Pods eat- 

 able. DC. 



568. P. iuliflora DC. prodr. ii. 447. Macfadij.fi. jam. i. 312. 

 _ Mimosa iuliflora Swartz. prodr. 85. M. piliflora Swartz. fl. 

 ind. occ. 986. — Driest plains of Jamaica. (Cashew.) 



270 



