GUMS, RESINS, AND KINOS. 225 
bucketful of gum was found, naturally exuded and partly viscid, 
while enormous tears had flowed down the stem and were adherent 
to it. 
Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. 
38. Sterculia rupestris, Bexth., (Syn. Delabechea rupestris, Lindl.; 
Brachyehiton Delabechit, F.v.M.) ; N.O., Sterculiacez, B.FI., 
i., 230. Brachychiton Delabechii in Muell. Cens., p. 15. 
“‘ Bottle Tree,” or ‘“‘Gouty Stem.” A “ Kurrajong.” 
A gum exudes freely from the tree, and forms what may 
be called an inferior tragacanth, for want of a better name. 
Sir Thomas Mitchell observed many years ago that when 
boiling water is poured over shavings of this wood a clear jelly, 
resembling tragacanth, is formed, and becomes a thick, viscid 
mass ; iodine stains it brown, but not a trace of starch is indicated 
in it. 
The gum from this tree (and the following description is 
more or less true of other species of this genus) is remarkably 
like paraffin in appearance, and almost as free from colour. It is. 
rather tough and horny, and breaks with a dull fracture. In the 
mouth the author fails to detect (except in the shape of the pieces) 
any difference between it and the best tragacanth. It isin irregular 
lumps, full of angles and points, the result of the fusion of 
innumerable “ tears.”’ 
Sterculia gum and tragacanth, however, present many points. 
of difference. Their closest similarity is in outward appearance. 
The former gum does not thicken water, except to an almost in- 
appreciable extent, and, therefore, could not have the economic 
uses to which the very viscid tragacanth is put. On treating them 
both with cold water, the most obvious difference between them is 
the bluish-opalescent, and comparatively fine-grained appearance 
of the mucilage afforded by the Sterculia gum. 
Queensland. 
39. Terminalia SP, N.O., Combretacez. 
For a noté on gum from a species of TZermznalia, see 
“* Foods,” page 62. 
