Naturalisation in Extra- Tropical Countries. 457 



Sesleria coerulea, Arduino.* 



Many parts of Europe, but not in the far northern regions, 

 though in Scotland ascending to 2,500 feet. Of this perennial 

 grass Langethal observes, that it is for dry and loose limestone 

 what Elymus arenarius is for loose sand. It stands depasturing by 

 sheep well, and is one of the earliest grasses of the season. 



Sesuvium Portulacastrum, Limn'. 



All round the g'lobe on the shores of tropical and sub-tropical 

 countries, occurring naturally as far south as Port Jackson. A 

 perennial creeping herb, fit to fix the sandy silt on the edges of 

 sea-coasts. 



Shepherdia arg-entea. Nuttall. 



The Buffalo-Berry. From the Missouri to Hudson's Bay. This 

 bush bears red, acidulous, edible berries. 



Shorea robusta, Gaertner. 



The Sal-tree. India, up to about 3,000 feet. It attains as a 

 maximum a height of 150 feet and a stem-girth of 25 feet. Foliage 

 evergreen ; leaves annual. One of the most famed of Indian 

 timber-trees ; likes a rather humid clime (about 70 inches rain) ; 

 thrives in annual extremes of temperature from the freezing point 

 to about 100 F. Drs. Stewart and Brandis found it on sandstone, 

 conglomerate, gravelly and shingly ground, where loose water- 

 transmitting soils are mixed with a large portion of vegetable 

 mould. The climatic conditions within a Sal-area may be expressed 

 as mean annual rainfall, 40 to 100 inches ; mean temperature, in 

 the cool season 55 to 77, in the hot season 77 to 85 F. The 

 heart- wood is dark-brown, coarse-grained, hard, very heavy, strong, 

 tough, with fibrous cross- structure and fibres interlaced. It 

 requires careful seasoning, otherwise it will rend and warp. For 

 buildings, river-boats and railway-sleepers it is the most important 

 timber of North-India. It exudes a pale aromatic, dammar-like 

 resin. The Tussa- silk worm derives food from this tree. 



Shorea Talura, Koxburgh. (8. laccifera, Heyne.) 



India, abounding in Mysore, where South- European fruits 

 prosper. On this tree also the Lac-insect lives. It furnishes a 

 peculiar dammar. 



Silene Cucubalus. Wibel. (8. inflata, Smith.) 



The Quintcherich. Europe, temperate and colder Asia, North- 

 Africa. A perennial herb, the young shoots of which afford a 

 palatable and wholesome kitchen-vegetable, used like spinage. 

 [Jaeger, Scholtz]. Must be prevented however from straying as 

 weed into culture. 



