10 
beanty of its appearance, being grooved or channelled in fine 
longitudinal lines and covered, especially near the knob or root 
part, with numerous small kn ots. It is also prized for its extreme 
rigidity and strength. 
Notwithstanding that enormous quantities of these sticks have 
been for many years past, and are still, brought into the English 
market, the country of their produce, as well as their botanical 
source, have remained unknown. Latterly, however, it has been 
ascertained that they are imported into this country from Bahia. 
And with a view of tracing their origin the assistance of the 
British Consul at that port has been invited by the Director of the 
Royal Botanic Gardens through the Foreign Office. The following 
is an extract of a letter in reply from Mr. Consul Stevens to the 
Foreign Office, dated Bahia, January Ist, 1889 :— 
“The plant grows in the forests of the northern portion of this 
Province, ry a = and country traversed by the Bahia-San 
Francisco line o way, becoming more plentiful in the hollows 
of the hilly ate of the Alagoinhas-Timbo line. It needs a 
partially sandy soil at a temperature of 86° to 90° Fahr., and does 
pa require much water. There is no limit es the supply of irre 
cut from its numerous branches, and in their rough s 
Selivered i in bundles of 100 at the "Ae of the raiieayren on a his 
side they sell for 2 milreis per 1,000 sticks; or, if picked and 
chosen, 3 milreis per 100, according to er shape and fancy heads ; 
and after all expenses and freight are added, reach England at an 
average of 1d. to 2d. English each stick, including the profit of the 
Bahia shipper. 
“In late times, to economise freight, only some 12 or 14 inches 
of the top part of the sticks have been exported, as the generality 
are adapted to umbrella handles. 
“The pla nt, erroneously believed 3 Englishmen to 
climbing vine, is in reality a shrub fro to 26 feet high oa 
3 inches in circumference, the stem peiag soft and pulpy. 
“Tt is known locally as the ‘Marmeleiro-do-Campo,’ or wild 
quince, and is clas sed from what can be ascertained as the 
Maprounea Sialéiliadeis:s it grows rapidly in the localities men- 
when gathered comes to this market in marmalade and jelly of 
cae more appreciated than any other orchard or garden 
cydoni 
aE leaves only were received with this letter, so that it 
was impossible to determine what the plant really was, though it 
was clear that it belonged to the natural order Rubiacee, and per- 
sk to the genus Coussarea ; from fruits received later on, how- 
ever, it seems that the plant i in question is a species of Puvotairt i 
and probably P. itil, R.S. It is clear, therefore, that the 
sticks can have nothing to do with Maprounea braziliensis referred 
to in Consul Stevens’ letter, as that plant isa shrub belonging to 
the natural order Euphorbiacee, the fruits of which are entirely 
different from those of Posoqueria. As stated by Consul Stevens, 
the fruits of a Starrett h Bonithtgoe 9 are used for making a kind 
of marmalad woes” and a sample of this has been sent by 
him to the Kew Museum 
