126 Select Plants for Industrial Culture 



Dypsis pinnatifrons, Martius. 



Madagascar. This dwarf Palm proved hardy in Sydney, together 

 with Copernicia cerifera (C. Moore). 



Bcbalium Elaterium, Richard. 



The Squirting Cucumber. Mediterranean regions and Orient. 

 An annual. The powerful purgative Elaterium is prepared from 

 the pulp of the fruit. Chemical principles : elaterid, elaterin, 

 hydro elaterin. 



Bchinocactus Fendleri, Engelmann. 



Mexico. A species attractive for its large rosy flowers and, like 

 the orange-flowered E. gonacanthus and E. Simpsoni, E. conoideus, 

 E. phoeniceus, E. viridiflorus, E. viviparus and E. paucispineus, 

 among the most hardy of North- American Cactese (E. G. Loder). 



Bchium candicans, Linnefil. 



Madeira. This showy shrub, with the allied E. fastuosum 

 (Jacquin) is an exquisite honey-plant ; other species deserve in 

 this respect also attention. 



Bctrosia Gulliveri, F. v. Mueller. 



North-Eastern Australia. A pretty but annual grass, useful for 

 covering stony slopes in dry exposed localities (Bailey). 



Ehrharta diplax, F. v. Mueller. (Microlama avenacea, J. Hooker.) 



New Zealand. This tall perennial grass is fond of woodlands, and 

 deserves introduction elsewhere. It is likely to prove a rich pasture- 

 grass. A few Australian species, particularly of the section Tetrarr- 

 hena, are readily accessible, and so indeed also the South- African 

 Ehrhartas, all adapted for a warm temperate clime ; the majority 

 perennial, and several of superior rural value. Ehrharta caudata 

 (Munro) is indigenous to Japan. 



Ehrharta longiflora, Smith. 



South- Africa. Easily disseminated and, like other perennial species 

 from the same part of the world, fit to grow in sand-land as a pasture- 

 grass. Eagerly consumed by cattle (Cole). 



Bhrharta stipoides, La Billardiere. 



Extra-tropical Australia, also New Zealand. Often called Weep- 

 ing-Grass. A perennial grass, which keeps beautifully green all 

 through the year. For this reason its growth for pasturage should be 

 encouraged, particularly as it will li^e on poor soil. Mr. W. H. 

 Bacchus, of Ballarat, considers it nearly as valuable as Kangaroo- 

 Grass, and in the cool season more so. He finds it to bear overstock- 

 ing better than any other native grass, and to maintain a close turf. 

 Hence it is praised by Mr. 0. Tepper as a lawn-grass. High testi- 

 mony of the value of this grass is also given by Mr. Rankin, of 

 Gippsland, after many years experiments. However, it does not 



