IN EXTRA-TROPICAL COUNTRIES. Ill 



Duboisia Hopwoodii, F. v. Mueller. 



The Pitury. Inland desert Regions from New South Wales and 

 Queensland to near the west coast of Australia. This shrub deserves 

 cultivation on account of its highly stimulating properties (Bancroft, 

 Rudall). D. myoporoides (R. Br.) of East Australia and New 

 Caledonia has come into use for ophthalmic surgery. The alkaloid 

 of the latter, duboisin, is allied to piturin. Important for mydriatic 

 purposes in medicine (Bancroft). The tree attains in deep forest 

 glens a height of 60 feet (Ralston), but flowering already as a scrub. 



Duvana longifolia, Lindley. 



La Plata States. This or an allied shrub called Molle there yields 

 foliage rich in tannin (about 20 per cent), which does not give any 

 colour to leather (Dr. Lorentz). 



Dypsis pinnatifrons, Martius. 



Madagascar. This dwarf Palm proved hardy in Sydney, together 

 with Copernicia cerifera (C. Moore). 



Ecballion Elaterium, Richard. 



Mediterranean regions and Orient. The Squirting Cucumber. An 

 annual. The powerful purgative Elaterium is prepared from the pulp 

 of the fruit. Chemical principles : elaterid, elaterin, hydroelaterin. 



Ehrharta diplax, F. v. Mueller. (Microlcena avenacea, J. Hooker.) 

 New Zealand. This tall perennial grass is fond of woodlands, and 

 deserves introduction. It is likely to prove a rich pasture-grass. 

 A few Australian species, particularly of the section Tetrarrhena, 

 are readily accessible to us, and so indeed also the South African 

 Ehrhratas, all adapted for a warm temperate clime, the majority 

 perennial, and several of superior value. Ehrharta caudata, Munro, 

 is indigenous in Japan. 



Ehrharta stipoides, Labillardiere. 



Extra-tropical Australia, also New Zealand. Often called Weeping 

 Grass. A perennial grass, which keeps beautifully green all through 

 the year. For this reason its growth for pasturage should be 

 encouraged, particularly as it will live on poor soil. Mr. W. H. 

 Bacchus, of Ballarat, considers it nearly as valuable as Kangaroo- 

 Grass, and in the cool season more so. He finds it to bear over- 

 stocking better than any other native grass, and to maintain a close 

 turf. High testimony of the value of this grass is also given by 

 Mr. Rankin, of Gippsland, after many years experiments. It is 

 however not always copiously seeding. The chemical analysis made 

 in spring gave the following results : albumen T66, gluten 9 '13, 

 starch 1'64, gum 3 -25, sugar 5-05 per cent. (F. v. Mueller and L. 

 Hummel). 



