Naturalisation in Extra-Tropical Countries. 313 



the numerous other species 24 alone enumerated as Oriental by 

 Boissier should be tested. All these plants might be classed as 

 Astragals. They as a rule are satisfied with poor soil. 



Fachyma Cccos, Fries. 



The Tuckahoe-Truffle or Indian Bread. North-America and 

 East-Asia. 



Fachyma IZoelen, Fries. 



China. This large truffle occurs particularly in the province 

 of Souchong. Flavor most agreeable. Naturalisation elsewhere 

 to be tried. 



Pachyrrhizus ang'ulatus, Bichard.* (Dolichos bulbosus, Lamarck.) 



From Central America rendered spontaneous in many tropical 

 countries. A climber, the horizontal starchy roots of which attain 

 a length of 8 feet and a thickness of many inches. Dr. Peckolt 

 records tubers of 70 Ibs. weight. They keep in dry ground, growing 

 for five years, but such are then available only for starch, whereas 

 annual tubers are the most palatable and yield 6 to 7 per cent, of 

 starch. From the stems a tough fibre is obtained. The plant 

 proved hardy at Sydney ; it requires rich soil. 



Fachyrrhizus tuberosus, Sprengel. (Dolichos tuberosus, Lamarck.) 



The Yam-bean or Ahipa of Venezuela and other parts of South- 

 America up to elevated country. Climbing to a height of 20 feet. 

 Pods much larger than those of P. angulatus, in a young state 

 serving like French beans, when boiled tender and sweetish, but 

 deleterious when raw [Trimen, Dyer j. They are free from fibrous 

 strings at the edge. Seeds variable in color. The tubers of three 

 plants may fi^l a bushel-basket [Macfadyen] ; they mature within 

 some few months. 



Falaquium Gutta, Baillon and Burck.* (Dichopsis Gutta, Bent ham; 

 Tsonandra Gutta, Hooker.) 



The " Gutta- Percha " or the " Gutta-Tabari " Tree. Malayan 

 Penisula and Sunda-Islands. Attains a height of 150 feet. It 

 seems not altogether hopeless to render this highly important tree 

 a denizen of the mildest wood-regions in temperate climes, Murton 

 having traced it to elevations of 3,500 feet. Indeed, the plant 

 will live in the clime of Port Phillip without protection. The 

 milky sap, obtained by ringing the bark at 5 to 15 inches inter- 

 stices, is heated for an hour before gradual exsiccation, otherwise 

 the product becomes brittle ; 5 to 20 catties yielded by one tree. 

 Genuine Gutta-percha is only got from plants of the sapotaceous 

 . order, as far as hitherto known. Besides Palaquium Gutta, which 

 yields the best red Gutta-percha of Borneo, but is slow of growth, 

 the following are actually drawn into use for obtaining this gum- 



