Naturalisation in Extra-Tropical Countries. 521 



Wissadula rostrata, Planchon. 



Tropical Africa and America. A perrennial somewhat shrubby 

 plant, easily naturalised in frostless regions. The bark abounds in 

 serviceable fibre ; and as the plant shoots quickly into long simple 

 twigs, if cut near the root, fibre of good length is easily produced 

 [Dr. Roxburgh]. 



Wistaria Chincnsis, De Candolle. 



The " Fuji " of Japan and China. Hardy still at Christiaiiia, 

 Lives through a century and more. The stem is carried up straight, 

 and the branches are trained on horizontal trellises at Japanese 

 dwellings, affording shade for seats beneath. One Wistaria-tree 

 will thus cover readily a square of 50 feet by 50 feet, the delight- 

 fully odorous trusses of flowers pendent through the trellis over- 

 head [Christy]. Fortune tells us of a tree of great age, which 

 measured at 3 feet from the ground 7 feet in circumference, and 

 covered a space of trellis-work 60 feet by 100 feet. At Sunningdale 

 (England) a single plant covers a wall 9 feet high for a length of 

 340 feet [J. B. Torry]. Flowers probably available for scent- 

 distillation. 



Wistaria frutescens, Candolle. (W. specwsa, Nuttall). 



South-Eastern States of North-America. A woody tall-climbing 

 plant, of grand value with the preceding species for bees. 



Withania coag-ulans, Dunal. 



Mountains of India. A somewhat shrubby plant. With the 

 fruit milk can be coagulated into curd for cheese, as with rennet ; 

 the active principle, according to Mr. Sheridan Lee, is best extracted 

 by a weak aqueous solution of kitchen-salt. Galium verum (Linne) 

 of Europe, Asia and North-Africa, a perennial rubiaceous herb, 

 serves also for rennet, probably with other species of that genus 

 and of Asperula. 



Withania somnifera, Dunal. 



Countries around the Mediterranean Sea, thence to South-Asia 

 and South- Africa. A half -shrub. The root, according to Professor 

 McOwan, acts much like that of Podophyllum medicinally. 



Witheringria solanacea, 1'Heritier. 



South- America. This perennial herb is deserving of trial-culture 

 on account of its large edible tubers. 



Xanthorrhiza apiifolia, L'Heritier. 



Eastern North- America. A perennial, almost shrubby plant, of 

 medicinal value. The root produces a yellow pigment similar to 

 that of Hydrastis Canadensis. Both also contain berberiii. 



