Naturalisation in Extra-Tropical Countries. 105 



Caryota urens, Linn6. 



India. One of the hardier Palms, ascending the Himalayas to an 

 altitude of 5,000 feet, according to Dr. Thomas Anderson, yet even 

 there attaining a considerable height, though the temperature sinks 

 in the cooler season to 40 F. Drude mentions, that species of this 

 genus ascend to an elevation of 7,500 feet, where the temperature 

 occasionally approaches the freezing point. The trunk furnishes a 

 sago-like starch. This palm only flowers at an advanced age, and 

 after having produced a succession of flowers dies away. From the 

 sap of the flower-stem, just as from that of the Cocos- and Borassus- 

 Palm % toddy and jaggeri-sugar are prepared, occasionally as much as 

 12 gallons of liquid being obtained from one tree in a day. The fibre 

 of the leaf-stalks, known as " Kitton," can be manufactured into very 

 strong ropes, also into baskets, brushes and brooms. It also serves 

 the Indian races as tinder. The outer wood of the stem answers for 

 turnery. Several allied species exist, one extending to North- 

 Eastern Australia. 



Casimiroa eclulis, Llav and Levarz. 



Mexico, up to the cool heights of 7,000 feet. This finally tall tree 

 comes into bearing in about ten years. The kernel of its fruit is dele- 

 terious [Hernandez], but the pulp of a delicious, melting, peach-like 

 taste [Garner], partaking of which is said to induce sleep. The tree 

 thrives well in a clime like that of Santa Barbara, California [Capt. 

 E. Cooper], and proved also hardy in Provence [Prof. Naudin]. The 

 ' fruit is from 1 to 4 inches in diameter, pale yellow, of a rich subacid 

 taste, and most palatable when near decay [Dr. Seemann]. Efforts to 

 propagate it from cuttings were not successful, and seeds do not seem 

 to reach perfection in California ["Calif. Hortic. Magaz." 1880]. 

 Attains a great age. 



Cassia Absus, Linn<$. 



Intra-tropical regions of the eastern hemisphere. The seeds are 

 since ancient times in Egypt used to produce a counter-inflammation 

 of fermentive growth in various forms of eye-diseases, particularly 



pannus [Dr. Schweinfurth] . 



Cassia acutifolia, Delile. 



Indigenous or now spontaneous in Northern and Tropical Africa 

 and South- Western Asia. Perennial. The leaflets merely dried 

 constitute part of the Alexandria- and also Tinnevelly-senna. The 

 active principle of senna namely, carthartic acid occurs also in the 

 Coluteas and in Coronilla varia, according to C. Koch. The senna- 

 cassias have within Australia particularly well succeeded in the 

 Eastern sub-tropical coast-regions. 



