EUCALYPTUS TREES. 287 
rope, West Asia. The Meadow Saffron. The seeds 
and roots of this pretty bulbous-tuberous herb are 
important for medicinal use. The plant has been 
introduced by the writer with a view of being culti- 
vated on moist meadows in our ranges. Active prin- 
ciple; colchicin. 
Colocasia antiquorum, Schott. — Egypt, through 
South Asia to the South Sea Islands; apparently also 
indigenous in the warmer parts of East Australia. 
The Taro. The stem-like tuberous, starchy roots lose 
their acridity by the process of boiling, roasting, or 
baking. The plant proved hardy in the Botanic Gar- 
den of Melbourne. The tops of the tubers are re- 
planted fora new crop. Taro requires a rich, moist 
soil, and would grow well on banks of rivers. For 
scenic culture it is a very decorative plant. Colocasia 
esculenta is a variety of this species. 
Colocasia Indica, Kunth. (Alocasia Indica, Schott. ) 
—South Asia, South Sea Islands, and East Australia. 
Cultivated for its stem and tubers on swamps or rivu- 
lets. This stately plant will rise, in favorable locali- 
ties, to a height of 12 feet, the edible trunk attaining 
a considerable thickness, the leaves sometimes meas- 
uring 3 feet in length. In using the stem and root 
for food great care is needed to expel, by the heating 
process, all acridity. Colocasia odora and C. macror- 
rhiza seem varieties of this species. Several other 
aroid plants deserve attention for test-culture on ac- 
count of their edible roots, among them Cyrtosperma 
edulis, Seemann, from the Fiji Islands. 
Conium maculatum, L.—The Hemlock. Europe, 
North Africa, North and West Asia. A biennial herb, 
important for medicinal purposes. Itshould, however, 
