

in Extra- Tropical Countries. 259* 



Phalaris arundinacea, Linne". 



Temperate and colder regions of Europe, Asia and America; in- 

 digenous in Norway to lat. 70 30'. Not without some importance 

 as a reedy grass of bulky yield on wet meadows or in swampy places. 

 A variety with white-striped leaves is a favorite as a ribbon-plant 

 for borders. 



Phalaris Canariensis, Linne*. 



The Canary-grass. An annual grass from the Canary-Islands, 

 now widely dispersed as a spontaneous plant over the warmer zones 

 of the globe. Thus it has also become naturalized in Australia. It 

 will endure the climate of Norway to lat. 70 22', bearing seed to 

 lat. 63 26' (Prof. Schuebeler). It is grown for its seeds, which form, 

 one of the best kinds of food for many sorts of small cage-birds. 

 The flour is utilized in certain processes of cotton-manufacture, and 

 liked even for some kinds of cakes. The soil for culture of the 

 Canary -grass must be friable and not too poor. It is an exhaustive 

 crop. As allied species of similar use, but mostly of less yield, may 

 be enumerated : P. brachystachys (Link) from Italy, P. minor 

 (Retzius) and P. trunctata (Gussone) from various countries on the 

 Mediterranean Sea, the last-mentioned being perennial. Other 

 species, including some from Asia, are deserving of trial. P. minor 

 is recommended by Dr. Curl for permanent pastures, as it supplies a 

 large quantity of fine, sweet, fattening foliage, relished by stock. It 

 keeps green far into the winter in the climate of New Zealand. 

 Chemical constituents here (in November): Albumen 1'59, gluten 

 6*14, starch T03, gum 6'64, sugar 2-86 per cent. (F. v. Mueller 

 and L. Rummel); another analysis in the same month gave: Albumen 

 1-06, gluten 5'64, starch 0*98, gum 3'22, sugar 4-20 per cent. 



Pharnaceum acidum, J. Hooker. 



St. Helena. A dwarf perennial succulent plant, which might 

 advantageously be naturalized on sea-shores, to yield an acid salad,, 

 perhaps superior to that of Portulaca oleracea. 



Phaseolus aconitifolius, Jacquin. 



India, up to 4,000 feet. A dwarf annual species. Dr. Forbes 

 Watson admits it among the culinary beans of India. It will bear 

 on arid soil. P. trilobus (Aiton), the Simbi-bean, is a still hardier 

 variety, which becomes perennial. 



Phaseolus adenanthus, G. Meyer. (P. Truxittensis, Humboldt; P* 

 rostratus, Wallich. ) 



Almost cosmopolitan within the tropics, where, irrespective of 

 navigation and other traffic, it becomes dispersed by migrating birds; 

 truly spontaneous. also in tropical Australia. A perennial herb with 

 large flowers, resembling those of Yigna vexillata (Bentham). Cul- 

 tivated for its seeds, which are rather small, but copiously produced^ 

 A variety with edible roots occurs. 



