364 Select Plants for Industrial Culture 



Spilanthes oleracea, N. Jacquin. 



South- America. Inaptly called the "Para-Cress." An annual 

 herb of considerable pungency, used as a medicinal salad. 



Spinacia oleracea, Linne". 



Siberia. The ordinary Spinach, an agreeable culinary annual of 

 rapid growth. Can be grown in Norway to lat. 70 4' (Sclmebeler). 

 It has a mild aperient property, like several species of Chenopodium. 

 Two varieties are distinguished, the Summer- and the Winter- 

 Spinach, the former less inclined to run into seed, but also less hardy. 

 The seeds are found by Burbridge and Vilmorin to retain their vitality 

 for about five years. 



Spinacea tetrandra, Steven. . -. 



The " Schamum." From the Caucasus and Persia to Turkestan 

 and Afghanistan. Also an annual'and unisexual plant like the pre- 

 ceding, with which it has equal value, though it is less known. A- 

 de Candolle surmises, that it may be the original parent of the 

 Spinage-plant. 



Spinifex hirsutllS, La Billardiere. 



On the whole coast of extra-tropical Australia. Highly valuable 

 for binding coast-sand with its long creeping roots; deserving transfer 

 to other parts of toe world. 



Spinifex longifolius, R. Brown. 



On the tropical and western extra-tropical coast of Australia. 

 Available like the former. 



Spinifex paradoxus, Bentham. 



Central Australia. Not unimportant as a large perennial fodder- 

 grass on sand-ridges, and remarkable for its endurance of protracted 

 drought and extremely high temperature (Flierl). 



Spinifex squarrosus, Linne". 



India. Useful for binding sand. Tenuant remarks, that the radiating 

 heads become detached when the seed is matured, and are carried by 

 the wind along the sand, over the surface of which they are impelled 

 by their elastic spines, dropping their seeds as they roll along. The 

 heads are so buoyant as to float lightly on water, and while the upper- 

 most spiny rays are acting as sails, they are carried across narrow 

 estuaries, to continue the process of embanking beyond on any newly 

 formed sandbars. 



Spondias dulcis, G. Forster. 



Polynesia, perhaps also Philippine Islands. This noble tree is 

 introduced into this indicative list, with a view of showing the 

 desirability, that trials should be instituted as regards the culture of 

 the various good fruit-bearing species of this genus, one of which, S. 

 Solandri (Bentham), crosses the tropical circle in East- Australia. 



