in Extra-Tropical Countries. 



353 



like salsify; the aged root acts as a diuretic. S. maculatus (Linne) 

 is a cognate annual species. 



Scorzonera crocifolia, Sibthorp. 



Greece. A perennial herb; the leaves, according to Dr. Heldreich, 

 used there for a favorite salad and spinach. 



Scorzonera deliciosa, Gussone.* 



Sicily. One of the purple-flowered species; equal, if not superior, 

 in its culinary use to the allied salsify. 



Scorzonera Hispanica, Lhm<*.* . 



Middle and Southern Europe, South-Western Asia. In Norway .hardy 

 to lat. 63 26'. The root of this yellow-flowered perennial herb fur- 

 nishes not only a wholesome and palatable food, but also serves as a 

 therapeutic remedy much like dandelion. Long boiling destroys its 

 medicinal value (B. Clark). Some other kinds of Scorzonera may 

 perhaps be drawn i,uto similar use, there being many Asiatic species; 

 they should be cultivated as annuals. The leaves of some may be 

 used as salad. 



Scorzonera tuberosa, Pallas. 



On the Volga and in Turkestan, in sandy desert country * This 

 species also yields an edible root, and so perhaps the Chinese S. 

 albicaulis (Bunge), the Persian S. Scowitzii (Candolle), the North - 

 African S. undulata (Vahl), the Greek S. ramosa (Sibthorp), the 

 Russian S. Astrachanica, the Turkish S. semicana (Candolle), the 

 Iberian S. lanata (Bieberstein). At all events, careful culture may 

 render some of them valuable esculents. 



Scutia Indica, Brogniart. 



Southern Asia. This, on Dr. Cleghorn's recommendation, might 

 be utilized as a thorny hedge-shrub. 



Sebsea ovata, R Brown. 



Extra-tropical Australia and New Zealand. This neat little annual 

 herb can be utilized for its bitter tonic principle (Gentian-bitter). S. 

 albidiflora (F. v. M.) is an allied species from somewhat saline 

 ground. These plants get disseminated most readily, but are unac- 

 ceptable to stock. S. crassulifolia (Chamisso) and Chironia baccifera 

 (Linne) serve for the same therapeutic purposes in South-Africa 

 (McOwan). 



Secale cereale, Linn. 



The Rye. Orient, but perhaps wild only in Afghanistan, and, as 

 recently noted by Dr. A. von Regel, also in Turkestan. Mentioned 

 as one of the hardiest of all grain-plants for sub-arctic and sub-alpine 

 regions. In Norway it can be grown as far north as lat. 69 30' 

 (Schuebeler). There are annual and biennial varieties, while 

 a few allied species, hitherto not generally used for fodder or 

 cereal culture, are perennial. The rye, though not so nutritious 



