Naturalisation in Extra-Tropical Countries. -39 



Ananas sativa, Schultes.* 



South- America. The famous " Pine-apple " plant. Some varieties 

 ripen their fruit as far south as Port Jackson. Mr. Th. Mead re- 

 marks, that in Florida the plant is well sustained by merely piling a 

 little brush over it during the three cool months of the year. Fruits 

 to 10, exceptionally even 20, Ibs. weight have there been produced. 

 Thrives to perfection just outside the tropics of East-Australia, fruits 

 up to 10 Ibs. having been realized there [Edgar]. From the Baha- 

 mas alone about 50,000 worth are now annually exported [Sir 

 Ambrose Shea]. A considerable portion of the yield there is canned. 

 Propagation by the terminal or lateral shoots, all easily rooting. The 

 leaf-fibre is exceedingly fine and so strong, that a rope of 3^-inch 

 circumference will bear a strain of 57 cwt. A beautiful fabric can 

 be made from it [W. T. Dyer]. Miller distinguished already this 

 plant generically. 



Andira vermifuga, Martins. 



Brazil, to far south with A. anthelminthica (Bentham). One of 

 the Angelim-trees. The seed celebrated as a vermifuge. 



Andropogon annulatus, Forskael.* 



Intra- and sub-tropical Africa, Asia, and Australia. Recom- 

 mended by Mr. Walter Hill as a meadow-grass. Dr. Curl observes, 

 that in New Zealand it is both a summer- and autumn-grass, that 

 it does not grow fast in winter, but at the period of its greatest growth 

 sends up an abundance of foliage. In Oudh and the North- West 

 Provinces of India one of the best of pasture-grasses [J. S. Gamble]. 



Andropogon australis, Sprengel. (Sorghum plumosum, Beauvois.) 



Tropical and also Eastern extra-tropic Australia as far south as 

 Gippsland. Brought under notice by Mr. Ch. Moore as an admirable 

 perennial pasture-grass. The allied A. serratus (Thunberg) of tropi- 

 cal Australia, Southern Asia, China and Japan, serves similar pur- 

 poses. General Sir H. Macpherson proved some Indian Andropogon 

 well adapted for Silos. 



Andropogon binatus, Retzius. 



From Nepal to China. The Sabe" or "Bhabar" or "Bhaib 

 Grass." Used for the manufacture of ropes, string-matting and otl 

 textile articles; approaches Esparto in the quality itofiWf 

 perennial; grows readily on dry soil [Dr. Hance]. Dr. W Thiselton 

 Dyer has shown, that a particular fibre, alluded to by Royle and some 

 subsequent writers as emanating from Eriophorum comosum (Wa 

 lich) in Upper India, is derived from this Andropogon, both plants 

 growing there promiscuously. A. binatus (Retzius) from Southern 

 Asia has been recommended for paper-material. 



