680 ON TWO UNDESCRIBED EXUDATIONS FROM THE LEGUMINOSjE, 



By Lowenthal's process it gives 56*0 per cent, of tannic acid 

 (as gallo-tannic acid equivalent). It is, in fact, a Ruby kino, the 

 only apparent difference being that the kino of Milletia mega- 

 sperma is not so readily soluble in hot water as the Ruby kinos of 

 Eucalypts. 



The occurrence of a kino in the Leguminosse has not before 

 been recorded from Australia ; it is, however, not new in other 

 parts of the world. Thus, the official kino is yielded by Pterocarpus 

 marsupium of India and P. erinaceus of West Africa ; the astrin- 

 gent exudation of Butea frondosa is well known, and similar 

 substances are recorded from Erythrina indica and other legu- 

 minous plants. 



It is of some scientific interest, but of no commercial importance; 

 for the kino of Milletia megasperma could never compete with 

 the practically identical and very abundant Ruby kinos of the 

 Eucalypts. 



2. A gum from "The Barrister" (Mezoneurum scortechinii, 

 F.v.M.). 



The collector of this gum naively reported — " The people here 

 call this plant ' The Barrister ' because its spines are hard to get 

 away from." The term "Lawyer" is common in this and other 

 countries as applied to plants with prickly stems ; the mention, 

 under the circumstances, of the name of a particular branch of 

 the legal profession is new to me. The genus consists of climbing 

 plants, and is chiefly confined to Africa. I am not aware that a 

 gum has been recorded from any species hitherto. 



M. scortechinii yields a horny gelatinous-looking gum reminding 

 one of that of Acacia decurrens as far as external appearance is 

 concerned. It only slightly dissolves in cold water, but swells up 

 in that liquid to several times its original bulk. It does not 

 dissolve in boiling water within a reasonable period. It does not 

 dissolve in either potash or soda, but turns a canary-yellow colour 

 in those liquids, the colour fading on cooling. 



It dissolves in dilute hydrochloric acid, and a precipitate is 

 formed when an alkali is added in excess. When Barium hydrate 



