138 .Select Plants for Industrial Culture and 



Convallaria majalis, Linn. 



Europe, Northern and Middle Asia to Japan. The " Lily of the 

 Valley." Far famed as a lovely fragrant spring-plant, desirable 

 for naturalisation in any temperate forest-regions ; quite a trade- 

 plant for bouquet-sellers; reintroduced into medicine also latterly, 

 particularly in the treatment of cardial affections and dropsy. Both 

 root and flowers have also sternutatorian properties. 



Convolvulus floridus, Linn6 fil. 



Canary-Islands. A shrubby species, not climbing or winding. 

 With C. scoparius it yields the Atlantic Rosewood from stem and 

 root. 



Convolvulus Scammonia, Linn6. 



Mediterranean regions and Asia Minor. A perennial herb. The 

 purgative drug, Scammonia-resin, is obtained from the root, which 

 will grow to 2 feet in length. Plants readily raised from seeds. To 

 obtain the drug, a portion of the root is laid bare, and into incisions 

 made some shells are inserted, to collect the juice, which is daily 

 removed [Maw]. From Scanderoon in Syria in 1890 were exported 

 350,000 Ibs. dried roots and 3,500 Ibs. of the resin; the latter can be 

 extracted from the dried root by alcohol. 



Copernicia cerifera, Martins.* 



Brazil, extending into Bolivia and Argentina. This magnificent 

 Fan-palm has been proved to be hardy as far south as Sydney, by 

 Mr. Charles Moore. It resists drought in a remarkable degree, and 

 prospers also on a somewhat saline soil. The stem furnishes starch; 

 the sap yields sugar ; the fibres of the leaf-sheets are converted into 

 ropes, which resist decay in water; the leaves can be used for mats, 

 hats, baskets and brooms, and many other articles are prepared from 

 them. The inner part of the leaf-stalks serves as a substitute for 

 cork. This palm however is mainly valued for the Carnauba-wax, 

 with which its young leaves are coated, and which can be detached 

 by shaking. This is harder than bees' wax, and is used in the manu- 

 facture of candles. Each tree furnishes about 4 Ibs. annually. In 

 1862 no less than 2,500,000 Ibs. were imported into Great Britain, 

 realizing about 100,000. 



Coprinus comatus, Fries. 



Europe, Asia, South-Eastern Australia. Included by Dr. L. 

 Planchon among the Champignons for French kitchens. Other 

 species elsewhere are probably quite as good, but they all can only 

 be used for food in a very young state. More important are the 

 deliquiescent species of Coprinus, such as C. atramentarius, C. ovatus, 

 C. cylindraceus (Fries), for the preparation of a black water-colour 

 and also ink, both indelible [Wilson's Rural Cyclop.]; the black fluid 

 emitted needs the addition of some antiseptic to preserve it. Various 

 Coprini are also common in Victoria. 



