BY FRANK SMITH AND C. T. WHITE. 



133 



Hydrocyanic Acid in Trema aspera. — Recent obser- 

 vations of the ^^Titers would, however, definitely show that 

 the plant is at times capable of producing mortality in stock, 

 and is worthy of the reputation imputed in the popular 

 naming. 



The closel}- allied Trema timorensis Blume (Syn. T. 

 virgafa Blume, Sponia virgata Planch) is recorded as cyano- 

 phoricin Greshoff's original lists^ i"^'. In course of a survey 

 of the Queensland Flora made by us^ ^ for the occurrence of 

 prussic acid (cyanogenetic glucosides). the occasional presence 

 of faint traces of this poison in Trema aspera was noted. 

 Latterly (March, 1020) in connection with an enquiry into 

 cases of fatality among stock in the Beatidesert district. 

 Southern Queensland, portions of Trema aspera were 

 gathered which evidenced the presence of an amygdalin- 

 like glucoside both in the '" bitter-almond "" odour when the 

 leaves were rubbed between the hands and also by pro- 

 nounced positive reactions in the usual test made with 

 Guignards soda picrate paper. The record of tests 

 (Guignard reaction) on sjiecimens of Trema from various 

 localities is as follows : — 



