20 



MEMOIES OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM. 



has uo more than a slight and transitory stupefying effect. Greshoff attributes 

 to the fruit the property of a vermifuge. A specimen of P. quadriloculare has 

 also been received through the courtesy of Mr. Bleakley, Chief Protector of 

 Aboriginals, from the Oaklands (Cairns) district, where an infusion of tea is 

 used as an antidote for opium. 



Order AROIDE^. 



ALOCASIA MACRORRfflZA, Schott. 



The use of the large Arum. Alocasia 

 macrorrJiiza, has not hitherto been re- 

 corded as a fish-poison, and we are 

 indebted to ]\Ir. Edward Hart, of Kolan, 

 for the information that ho has seen it 

 so used by the ]\Ionduran and Upper 

 Burnett blacks. It is common on alluvial 

 fiats adjacent to watercourses. It must 

 be regarded as of great general utility 

 by the aborigine, for Roth and others 

 mention that the rootstock is eaten after 

 preparation, and the modern blacks 

 regard the roots, crushed and heated, 

 as a useful local application in syphilis. 



Both rootstock and leaves proved 

 ineffective to test fish even when infused 

 in quantity. The leaves of Alocasia 

 yiiacrorrhiza are cyanophoric, but mere 

 maceration and steeping does not bring 

 about interaction of glucoside and 

 enzyme even in long periods. The 'fish- 

 poison Opliocauloii cissampeJoidcs of the 

 Cameroons is effectual, according to E. 

 Fickendey.^° owing to its content of 

 free hydrocyanic acid and cyanogenetie 

 glucoside. 



UNIDENTIFIED SPECIMENS. 



'' NERO," 

 fi-om Pennefather River. Q. 



The vine yielding this rapid and 

 effective poison was not identified by 

 Roth, who refers to it by the native 

 name, and the present specimens were 

 unsuitable for botanical naming. Flowers 

 and fniit for the purpose are difficult 

 to obtain, as they are borne by the plants 

 during the wet season, when its habitat 

 in swampy foreshores is unapproachable. 



" Nero " (prepared for use) 



E. Fickendey, Z. Angew. Chem. 23, 2166-7. 



