in Extra-Tropical Countries. 365 



The lamented Dr. Seemaun saw S. dulcis 60 feet high, and describes 

 it as laden with fruits of agreeable apple-flavor, called " Wi," some 

 attaining over 1 Ib. weight. 



Spondias mangifera, Willdenow. 



Continental and insular India, ascending the Himalayas to about 

 5,000 feet. A small tree with deciduous foliage and edible fruit, the 

 latter of the size of a small mango. 



Sporobolus Virginicus, R. Brown. 



Warmer regions of both hemispheres. A perennial grass, which 

 will luxuriate even in sandy maritime places, and keep perfectly 

 green after three or four months' drought. In Jamaica horses become 

 rapidly and astonishingly fat while feeding upon this grass ( Jenman). 

 S.Indicus, S.purpurascens (Hamilton) and S. Jacquemonti(Kunth) are 

 also highly spoken of as pasture-grasses in the West-Indian Islands. 

 Several other congeners deserve attention, but S. elongatus (Brown), 

 though a very resisting grass, is rather too hard for fodder-purposes. 



Stenopetalum nutans, F. v. Mueller. 



Central Australia. An excellent annual herb for sheep-pastures, 

 disseminating itself over the ground readily (Rev. H. Kempe). The 

 naturalization of other species, all Australian, might be effected in 

 arid hot sandy deserts. 



Stenotaphrum Americanum, Schranck.* (S. glabrum, Trinius.) 



South- Asia, North- Australia, Africa, warmer countries of America; 

 not known as really indigenous from any part of Europe. Here 

 called the Buffalo-grass. It is perennial, creeping, and admirably 

 adapted for binding sea-sand and river-banks, also for forming garden - 

 edges, and for establishing a grass-sward on lawns much subjected to 

 traffic; it is besides of some value on pastures, and is one of the best 

 of shade-grasses also, though not particularly nutritious. It kept alive 

 in the hottest and driest regions of Central Australia, where it was 

 first introduced by the writer of this work; it endures also some 

 frost, even the tender portions of its blade, and has shown itself 

 adapted for recently reclaimed swamp-land. The chemical analysis, 

 instituted late in spring, gave the following results: Water, 80'25; 

 albumen, 0'50; gluten, 5-44; starch, 0*08; gum, 1-60; sugar, 1-60; 

 fibre, 10-53 (F. v. Mueller and L. Rummel). It consolidates rolling 

 sands into a firm pasture-turf. It was this grass, which Mr. John C. 

 Bell reared with so much advantage for fodder on the bare rocks of 

 the Island of Ascension; and it was there, where Australian Acacias 

 took the lead, to establish wood-vegetation and to secure permanency 

 of drinking water. S. subulatum (Triuius) is a closely allied grass 

 of New Guinea and some of the adjoining islands. 



Sterculia Carthaglnensis, Cavanilles. (S. Chicka, St. Hilaire.) 



South-Brazil. This and some other South- American species furnish 

 seeds of almond-like taste. 



