NOTES 305 
known to science and were formerly comprised under the name of 
A. cornigera Willd. They attracted special attention, when Th. 
Belt* showed that they were inhabited by small ants. These 
ants live in the large hollow spines, which they perforate. The 
plants provide them with food and drink; the rachis of the leaves 
bears large black glands, from which, especially in the morning, a 
fluid exudes, which affords the drink, whilst on the tips of the 
young leaflets small fleshy appendages are produced for food. 
The ants, in their turn, defend the plants against herbivorous 
insects and animals. During the dry season these Acacias lose 
most of their leaves and the thorns become depopulated, only a 
few ants surviving.t 
At La Mortola ants are frequently observed feeding on the 
glands of the leaves, but not on the fleshy appendages. 
ACANTHOSICYOS. 
A. horrida Welw. The “ Naras”’ of South-West Africa, where 
it grows on the sand-dunes and constitutes the chief food of the 
Hottentots,} has been tried several times; first in May, 1881, from 
seeds sent by the late Prof. Charles Naudin, of Villa Thuret 
(received from the late Sir Joseph Hooker), and in 1898 and 1899 
from seeds received through Mr. K. Dinter. The seeds germinated 
quickly, but the young plants never lived through the winter. 
ACANTHUS. 
A. arboreus forms large and very decorative bushes. It is 
quite hardy, flowering abundantly, but has not, so far, produced 
seeds. It was introduced by Prof. G. Schweinfurth from southern 
Arabia at the end of last century, and distributed by Cav. C. 
Sprenger, in Naples. The similar A. montanus does not do so 
well. 
ACER. 
A. oblongum, an evergreen tree, was grown from seeds received 
from M. Thuret, Antibes, January, 1870. 
ACTINOSTROBUS. 
A, pyramidalis, a curious little Conifer, allied to Fvtzroya and 
Callitris, is reported by Parlatore§ as growing in places which are 
inundated during winter by the sea, but succeeds at La Mortola 
in a very dry position. It was grown from seeds given by Messrs. 
Veitch & Sons, in 1893. 
ADENIA. 
A, repanda Engl. was brought to La Mortola by Mr. K. Dinter 
from Windhoek, in 1905. It has a large tuber, from which in 
spring it sends up slender shoots. The plant is dicecious; both 
sexes are represented. The flowers are insignificant. Itis grown 
* Th. Belt, The Naturalist in Nicaragua, p. 218, 1874. 
+ For this myrmecophily see also Schimper, Pflanzengeographie auf 
Physiologischer Grundlage, pp. 154-155. 
t Kew Bulletin, 1907, p. 343, plate 1. 
§ De Candolle, Prodromus, xvi. 2. p. 444. : 5 
A 
