IX EXTRA-TROPICAL COUNTRIES. 217 



Origanum Dictamnus, Linne. 



Candia. Like the following, a scent plant of somewhat shrubby 

 growth. 



Origanum Major ana, Linne. 



North Africa, Middle Asia, Arabia. A perennial herb, used for 

 condiments, also for the distillation of its essential oil. 



Origanum Maru, Linne. 



Palestine. Perennial and very odorous. 



Origanum Onites, Linne. 



Countries near the Mediterranean Sea. Somewhat shrubby and 

 strongly scented. 



Origanum vulgare, Linne, 



The ordinary Marjoram. All Europe, North Africa, North and 

 Middle Asia. A scented herb of perennial growth, containing a 

 peculiar volatile oil. It prefers limestone soil. Of importance 

 also as a honey plant. O. hirtum (Link.), O. virens (Hoff- 

 mannsegg), and O. normale (D. Don) are closely allied plants of 

 similar use. Several other Marjorams, chiefly Mediterranean, are 

 of value. 



Ornithopus sativus, Brotero. 



South Europe and North Africa. The Seratella or Serradella. An 

 annual herb, larger than the ordinary Bird's-foot Clover. It is 

 valuable as a fodder plant on sterile soil. It requires, like the 

 smaller 0. perpusillus, no lime, but improves in growth on gypsum 

 land. It thrives better on sandy soil than on lime soil, according 

 to Langethal. A good honey-plant. 



Oryza latifolia, Humboldt and Bonplaud. 



Central America. This species is said to be perennial and to attain 

 a height of 18 feet. It deserves trial culture, and may prove a 

 good fodder grass on wet land in warm localities. 0. perennis 

 (Moench) seems closely allied. 



Oryza sativa, Linne.* 



The Hice Plant. South Asia and North Australia. Annual like 

 most cereals. The many rivulets in our ranges afford ample oppor- 

 tunities for irrigating rice-fields ; but these can be formed with full 

 advantage only in the warmer parts of the Colony where rice will 

 ripen as well as in Italy, China, or the Southern States of the 

 American Union. Among the numerous varieties of Indian rice 

 may be noted as prominent sorts : The Early Rice, which ripens in 



