Sie 
= 
x85 
out any conspicuous success on a commercial scale. <A recent 
Trade Return oo aim Ide & Christie’s Monthly Circular, 
December 15th, 1915) states: ‘‘China Grass.—Some little en- 
Hodes is about, but so far no result.—38s. to 45s. Rhea.—No | 
usi 
K.B. ain Ser. 11. p. 52. 
Bowstring Hemp (Sansevieria spp.). Leaf fibre. 
Britisu.—-East Africa. 
Cultivated experimentally in various parts of Tropical Africa, 
Sudan, Rhodesia, Transvaal, Nya saland, East Africa Protector- 
ate, a Gold Coast, etc., v6 in Saat Australia, India, 
Ceylon, 
The genus Sansevieria includes many valuable species yielding 
fibres all covered by the term ‘‘ Bowstring Hemp.’ It has been 
given considerable attention at Kew for some years past in order 
to determine the species, chiefly from living plants which have 
flowered from time to time. The results are embodied in a 
recent Mcnograph of all the known species, 54 in all (see A.B. 
No. 5, 1915, pp. 185-261). The fibres “ many of the species 
from the various Tropical African Colonies have been under in- 
vestigation at the Imperial Institute (see Califa Report, Misc., 
No. 58, 1909). 
K.B. Add. Ser. ii. p. 114. 
The above-mentioned are the principal fibres of commerce. 
The prices in general are those of the London Market (from 
Messrs. Ide & Christie’s Monthly Circular, December 15th, 1913, 
and December 15th, 1915). The imports with their corresponding 
values are taken from ‘The ae Statement of the Trade of 
the United Kingdom,”’ Vol. i. 1915, or ‘‘ Accounts Relating to 
Trade and Navigation of the Tuite Kingdom,” December, 1915. 
The following have been under a at the he Imperial 
Institute and at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew 
Hibiscus esculentus, L., the ‘‘ Okra’’ of ist Africa. Native 
of India; distributed over the whole of Tropical Africa and 
naturalised in all tropical and many sub-tropical Countries. 
Hibiscus lasiocarpos, Cav. (?) from Sierra Leone. 
Hibiscus lunariifolius; Willd., Native of India ; toon ts pane 
tributed in Tropical Africa; "cultivated as “Ram 
“Rama ’’ in Kontagora, Northern Provinces, eee 
Hibiscus gs ted Don, a ** Kowe ”’ ** Corwey,’”’ of 
Sierra Leone, ‘‘ Onigozi,’’ of Benin. 
Honckenya — ficifolia, Willd., Sierra sss Gold Coast, 
Nigeria, the ‘‘ Bolo-bolo”’ fibre of the Yor 
Sida rhombifolia, L. Widely areaare in Tropical Africa 
and in the Tropics of the Old and New Worlds. 
Triumfetta cordifolia, Guill. et Perr., and JT. rhomboidea, 
Jacq., widely distributed in Tropical Africa. 
Urena lobata, L., ‘‘ Toja’’ fibre of Lagos, ‘‘ Bolo-bolo”’ of 
Yort uba, ‘‘ Aramina,”” Dig rraget ma,’’ or ‘‘Carapicho”’ of Brazil; 
