150 NOTES ON TWO SPECIES OF ALSTONIA. 
species, belonging to the same section as S. stenophylla, 
from which it is easily distinguished by its red stem, more 
i 
)oiuted leaves, and narrower folia minora. 
NOTES ON TWO SPECIES OF THE GENUS ALSTONIA, 
FROM NEW CALEDONIA AND NEW SOUTH WALES. 
By George Bennett, M.D., F.L.S., etc. 
The Natural Order of plants, Apocynacea, contains the Tanghima 
Poison-tree of Madagascar (which is naturalized in Sydney, New 
South Wales, flowering and fruiting well), the Strychnos or Nux-vomica, 
the Oleander, and many others of a highly poisonous nature ; yet the 
same Order includes the Hya Hya or Milk- tree of Demerara (Taber- 
nmmontana utilis), the Cream-fruit of Sierra Leone {Roupellia grata), 
—the latter a very handsome and fragrant plant, remarkable for the 
size and beautiful colour of its flowers, its agreeable odour, and its 
edible fruit,— and many others. Ahtonia belongs to this Order, 
and one species, Ahtonia edulis, is indigenous to New Caledonia. It 
is a climbing plant, the fruit-pods of which are much used in that 
country, both by the aborigines and Europeans, as an esculent vege- 
table, and might, with equal advantage, be introduced into the colony 
of New South Wales. Some of the pods which had been sent to me 
I had cooked, and although no correct estimate could be formed of 
what they might have been when fresh, still they had an agreeable 
flavour. The pods were brought from New Caledonia by my friend, 
Mr. D. N. Joubert, who also kindly gave me the following par- 
ticulars respecting them :— " The Ahtonia edulis is a creeper found 
growing most luxuriantly in all the thick scrubs along the banks o 
freshwater streams, it runs up the stem and branches of the large trees , 
the leaf is heart-shaped, and of a dark green colour ; the fruit grows in 
clusters, has a downy skin, and, when detached from the plant, a large 
quantity of milky juice exudes from it, resembling caoutchouc, or india- 
rubber. The natives in the vicinity of Port de France call it 'jecko,^ 
and use it as food uncooked. I have often eaten it in that state, an 
it reminded me very much of the taste of the young artichokes eaten 
saw in France, or of the heart of the Palm-tree. I have also eaten 
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