172 Select Plants for Industrial Culture and 



Diposis Bulbocastanum, De Candolle. 



Chili. The tubers of this perennial herb are edible. 



Dipsacus fullonum, Linne". 



Fuller's Teasel. Middle Asia. A tall biennial herb. The thorny 

 fruit-heads are used for fulling in cloth-factories. The import into 

 England during one of the latter years was valued at 5,000. The 

 plant is most easily reared. The use of these Teasels has not yet 

 been superseded by any adequate machinery. The young leaves 

 can be used as food for silkworms [Thorburn]. The flowers are 

 rich in nectar for honey [A. J. Cook], which is of excellent quality 

 [Quinby]. Seeds may rest underground for half-a-dozen years 

 without loss of germinating power [Dr. W. O. Focke]. 



Dirca palnstris, Linne. 



Eastern States of North-America, extending to Canada. An 

 ornamental forest-shrub, the tough bark of which is serviceable for 

 straps and whipcords. 



Distichlis maritima, Rafinesque. (Festuca distichophylla, J. Hooker.) 



North- and South-America, extra-tropical Australia. This dwarf 

 creeping grass is of great value for binding soil in arid places, 

 forming rough lawns, edging garden-plots and covering coast-sand. 



Dolichos biflorus, Linne".* 



Tropical and sub-tropical Asia, Africa and Australia. An annual 

 herb, the Horse-Gram of South-India, where it is extensively grown. 

 Colonel Sykes got over 300 seeds from a moderate- sized plant. Dr. 

 Stewart saw it cultivated up to 8,000 feet. Content with poor soils. 

 Thrives in very hot weather, with a minimum rainfall. Luxuriates 

 as far south as Northern New South Wales [Henry Wehl]. Pros- 

 pers also on saline soil. Well adapted for stable-pulse and also 

 useful for fodder and as green manure [Dr. G-. Watt]. D. uniflorus 

 (Lamarck) seems a variety. C. Sprenger mentions D. umbellatus 

 (Thunberg) as cultivated for kitchen-use in Japan. 



Dolichos gibbosus, Thunberg. 



South-Africa. This woody climber is one of the most eligible 

 for covering rustic buildings with a close and almost ever-flowering 

 vegetation. 



Dolichos Lablab, Linne".* 



Spontaneous in Tropical Asia and widely in Africa. Probably 

 from thence only spread widely through the tropics. A herb, lasting 

 through several years, but for culinary purposes cultivated as an 

 annual ; grown up to 7,000 feet in the Himalayas ; ripening its 

 fruit at Port Phillip. In warmer countries utilised also for bowers. 



