Geology. — "On the Secretion oj Phosphates in the stems of 

 Djatikapur [Tectona yrandis L.]". Bj Prof. A. Wichmann. 



(Communicated in the meeting of November 30, 1918). 



The natives of the Indian Archipelago designate the nodular 

 secretions in organisms, no matter whether they are of vegetable or 

 of animal origin as inestika^). Petrifications are also sometimes in- 

 cluded among them. To some of those formations people ascribe a 

 healing power oi- they are used as talismans, as is the case among 

 othei' peoples. 



Such secretions occurring in the wood tissue of trees — mesfika 

 kaju — were first revealed bj' G. K. Rumphius ; he, however, adduced 

 only few specimens. He detected them in the stems of Casuarina 

 in the gowasa- or kofaso-wood {Viie.v Cofassus Reinw.) in the 

 sanga-wood {Tristania obovata R. Br.) and in the concretions of the 

 kemuming-batu [Murraya'-^), which he classified as c/ö7ic//v7/6' aróor^a*). 

 It is remarkable, though, that he remained ignorant of the fact — 

 like other old writers — that the DJati-tree') {Tectona yrandis L.) 

 known to him, sometimes contains secretions, which, as to size and 

 quantity, surpass those of all plants. He, indeed, reports one descrip- 

 tion, viz. that of the djati batu, (stone-djati), but since he consideis it to 

 be the best kind and does not mention any petrous concretions, it can 

 hardly be identified with the djati kapur. Although it cannot be 

 doubted that the Javanese, who have ever made a frequent use of 

 Tectona-w oo(\, were acquainted with djati-kapur^), the first mention 

 of this variety is found in a report presented by Thomas Hornfield 



1) Among the first-mentioned the best known are the mestika awi — the 

 tabaschir occurring in the knots of bamboo — and the mestika kalapa — 

 secretions from calciumcarbonate in cocoanuts. Rumphius also enumerates: 

 mestika bras^ mestika gondii^ mestika nangka, mestika pinang and mestika pisang . 

 Among those from animal organisms are noted the mestika ular (snakestone) 

 the mestika babi {pedra de porco) and the hezoar. 



-) "D'Amboinsche Rariteitkamer", Amsterdam, 1705, biz. 323. To my knowledge 

 not one of those formations have been examined. Of lliem there is consequenlly 

 no record in the literature. 



*) Herbarium Amboinense, 3, Amsterdam 1743, biz. 34 — 36. 



*) Kapur means lime. 



