12 SELECT PLANTS FOR INDUSTRIAL CULTURE 



Mountains. With the allied A. nana (L.) and A. atrata (L. ), it enters 

 as a component into the aromatic medicinal Swiss tea. Many 

 species of this genus, including the Yarrow, are wholesome to 

 sheep. A. fragrantissima (Reichenbach) is a shrubby species from 

 the deserts of Egypt, valuable for its medicinal flowers. 



Achras sapota, Linne. 



The Sapodilla Plum of West India and Central Continental 

 America. A fine evergreen tree, producing delicious fruit. 

 Achras Australis, a tree yielding also tolerably good fruit, occurs in 

 New South Wales. Other sapotaceous trees, producing table-fruit, 

 such as the Lucuma mammosa (the Marmalade-Tree), Lucuma 

 Bonplandi, Chrysophyllum Cainito (the Star Apple), all from West 

 India, and Lucuma Cainito of Peru, might also be subjected to 

 trial culture in our forest- valleys \ so furthermore many of the 

 trees of this order, from which gutta-percha is obtained (species of 

 Dichopsis, Isonandra, Sideroxylon, Cacosmanthus, Bassia, Mimu- 

 sops, Imbricaria and Payenia), would prove hardy in sheltered 

 woodlands, as they seem to need rather an equable, humid, mild 

 clime than the heat of the torrid zone. 



Aconitum Napellus, Linne. 



The Monk's Hood. In the colder especially mountainous parts of 

 Europe and Northern Asia. A powerful medicinal plant of 

 perennial growth, but sometimes only of biennial duration, variable 

 in its forms. It was first introduced into Australia, together with 

 a number of other Aconits, by the writer of this communication. 

 All the species possess more or less modified medicinal qualities, as 

 well in their herb as in their root ; but so dangerously powerful are 

 they that the plants can only be administered by the exercise of 

 legitimate medical practice. Napellus root, according to Dr. 

 Wittstein, contains three alkaloids : aconitin, napellin and narcotin. 

 The foliage contains also a highly acrid volatile principle, perhaps 

 chemically not unlike that of many other Ranunculacese. Aconitin, 

 one of the most potent of any of the medicinal substances in 

 existence, can likewise be obtained from the Nepalese Aconitum 

 ferox, and probably from several other species of the genus. 



Acorus Calamus, Linne. 



The Sweet Flag. Europe, Middle and North Asia, North America. 

 A perennial pond or lake plant. The somewhat aromatic root is 

 used as a stomachic, and also in the preparation of confectionery, 

 in the distillation of gin and liqueurs, and in the brewing of some 

 kinds of beer. The flavour of the root depends mainly on a 

 peculiar volatile oil. 



