IN EXTRA-TROPICAL COUNTRIES. 149 



Ginkgo biloba, Linn6.* (Salisburia adiantifolia, Smith.) 



Ginkgo-tree. China and Japan. A deciduous fan-leaved tree, 100 

 feet high, with a straight stem 12 feet in diameter. The wood is 

 white, soft, easy to work, and takes a beautiful polish. The seeds 

 are edible, and when pressed yield a good oil. The fruits, sold in 

 China under the name of " Pa-Koo," not unlike dried almonds, but 

 white, fuller and rounder (Fortune). Ginkgo trees are estimated 

 to attain an age of 3,000 years. Mr. Christy observes that the 

 foliage turns chrome-yellow in autumn, and that it is the grandest 

 and most highly esteemed of all trees in Japan ; it will grow in dry 

 situations. 



Gladiolus edulis, Burchell. 



Interior of South Africa. The bulb-like roots are edible, and taste 

 like chestnuts when roasted. 



Gleditschia triacanthos, Linne. 



The deciduous Honey Locust-tree of North America. Height up 

 to 80 feet. Wood hard, coarse-grained, fissile, not without im- 

 portance for street-planting. Sown closely, this plant forms im- 

 penetrable, thorny, not readily combustible hedges. An allied 

 species, the G. horrida, Willd., in East Asia. The Water Locust- 

 tree of North America (G. monosperma, Walt.) will grow in 

 swamps to 80 feet. 



Glycine hispida, Bentham. (Soja hispida, Mcench.) 



An annual herb of India, China and Japan. The beans are one 

 of the main ingredients of the condiment known as Soja. The 

 seeds are very oily, nutritious, and when boiled of pleasant taste. 

 The plant endures slight frost (Wittmack). Oil is pressed from 

 the seeds. Glycine Soja, Siebold and Zuccarini, is said to be a 

 distinct plant, but probably serving the same purpose. 



Glycyrrhiza echinata, Linne. 



South Europe and Orient. From the root of this herb at least a 

 portion of the Italian liquorice is prepared. The root is thicker 

 than that of the following. The Russian liquorice root is derived 

 from this species. It is less sweet. 



Glycyrrhiza glabra, Linne. 



South Europe. The extract of the root of this herb constitutes the 

 ordinary liquorice. The plant grows most vigorously in Victoria. 

 The liquorice is of some utility in medicine, but 

 breweries. Chemical principle : glycyrrhizin. 



