

466 Select Plants for Industrial Culture and 



Spinifex longifolius, E. Brown. 



On the tropical and western extra-tropical coast of Australia. 

 Available like the former. 



Spinifex paradoxus, Bentham. 



Central Australia. Not unimportant as a large perennial fodder- 

 grass on sand-ridges, and remarkable for its endurance of protracted 

 drought and extremely high temperature [Flierl], 



Spinifex squarrosus, Linne. 



India. Useful for binding sand. Tennant remarks, that the 

 radiating heads become detached when the seed is matured, and are 

 carried by the wind along the sand, over the surface of which they 

 are impelled by their elastic spines, dropping their seeds as they 

 roll along. The heads are so buoyant as to float lightly on water, 

 and while their uppermost spiny rays are acting as sails, they are 

 carried across narrow estuaries, to continue the process of embank- 

 ing beyond on any newly formed sandbars. 



Spondias dulcis, G. Forster. 



Polynesia, perhaps also Philippine Islands. This noble tree is 

 introduced into this indicative list, with a view of showing the 

 desirability, that trials should be instituted as regards the culture 

 of the various good fruit-bearing species of this genus, one of which, 

 S. Solandri (Bentham), crosses the tropical circle in East- Australia. 

 The lamented Dr. Seemann saw S. dulcis 60 feet high, and describes 

 it as laden with fruits of agreeable apple-flavor, called " Wi," some 

 attaining oyer lib. weight. Matures its fruits copiously in sub- 

 tropic East-Australia, where it is made much into preserves 

 [Edgar]. 



Spondias lutea, Linne. 



West-Indies, extending to Venezuela, in Jamaica up to an eleva- 

 tion of about 4,000 feet. Fruit at all events available for some 

 farm-animals. 



Spondias mang-ifera, Willdenow. 



Continental and insular India, ascending the Himalayas to about 

 5,000 feet. A small tree with deciduous foliage and edible fruit, 

 the latter of the size of a small mango, but of austere taste. 



Sporobolus Virg-inicus, E. Brown. 



Warmer regions of both hemispheres. A perennial grass, which 

 will luxuriate even in sandy maritime places, and keep perfectly 

 green after three or four months' drought. In Jamaica horses 

 become rapidly and astonishingly fat while feeding upon this grass 

 [Jenman]. S. indicus, S. purpurascens (Hamilton) and S. Jacque- 



