Naturalisation in Extra-Tropical Countries. 53 



Arenga saccharifera, La Billardiere. 



India, Cochinchina, Philippines and, according to Doederlein, also 

 most Southern Japan. This Palm attains a height of 40 feet. The 

 black fibres of the leaf-stalks are adapted for cables and ropes, 

 intended to resist wet very long. The juice convertible into toddy 

 or sugar ; the young kernels made with syrup into preserves. This 

 Palm dies off as soon as it has produced its fruit ; the stem then be- 

 comes hollow, and can be used for spouts and troughs of great 

 durability. The pith supplies sago, about 150 Ibs. from a tree, 

 according to Roxburgh. Hardier than Cocos nucifera. 



Argania Sideroxylon, Roemer and Schultes. 



Western Barbary, on dry hills. " The Argan-tree." Its growth 

 is generally slow, but it is a long-lived tree-. Though comparatively 

 low in stature, its foliage occasionally spreads to a circumference of 

 220 feet. It sends out suckers from the root. The fruit serves as 

 food for cattle in Morocco ; but in Australia the kernels would be 

 more likely to be utilised by pressing an oil from them. Height of 

 tree exceptionally 70 feet. Produces fruit also in the clime of Tas- 

 mania [Abbott]. Commences to bear fruit when about six years old 

 [C.* Moore], and thence bears regularly and has more or less fruits on 

 it throughout the year. Dryander gave already a scientific account 

 of this tree in the transactions of the Linnean Society, II., 225. 



Argyrolobium marginatum, Bolus. 



Natal, on stony hills. A low-growing half-shrub, having succulent 

 roots with a milky juice. The roots are eatable and pleasant to the 

 taste ; the natives are very fond of them. Under cultivation the 

 plant may perhaps prove a welcome addition to our list of vegetables 

 [John Medley Wood]. 



Aristida prodigiosa, Welwitsch.* 



Angola, on the driest sand-hills. A perennial fodder-grass, of 

 which the discoverer speaks in glowing terms of praise. In the West- 

 African desert-country, in places devoid of almost all other vegetation, 

 the zebras, antelopes and hares resort with avidity to this grass ; it 

 also affords there in the dry season almost the only fodder for 

 domestic grazing animals. Moreover, this seems to indicate, that 

 the closely cognate A. plumosa, L. and A. ciliata, Deaf., of the 

 countries at or near the Mediterranean Sea, might likewise be encour- 

 aged in their natural growth or be cultivated. All feathery grasses 

 are among the most lovely for minor decorative purposes or designs, 

 and this may also be said of the Australian plumous Stipa elegantis- 

 sima (La Billardiere) and S. Tuckeri (F. v. M.). 



Aristida pungens, Desfontaines. 



Northern and Central Africa. Constitutes the principal native 

 fodder-grass of the Sahara, being content with sand-soil. This 

 perennial tall grass is lauded as one of the most nutritive and widely- 

 spread there [Brockhaus]. 



