Naturalisation in Extra-Tropical Countries. 177 



The import of the fat-like oil of this palm into Britain during 1886 

 was 1,004,419 cwt., valued at 1,050,559 ; during 1889 it was 

 1,031,440 cwt., valued at 1,091,922. The present price is 20 

 the ton. 



Elegia nuda, Kunth. 



South Africa. A rush, able with its long roots to bind moving 

 sand ; it also affords good material for thatching [Dr. Pappe]. E. 

 propinqua (Kunth), E. verticillaris (Kunth), Thamnochortus fruti- 

 cosus (Bergius), T. imbricatus (Masters), T. dichotomus-(R. Brown), 

 and Cannamois virgata (Steudel) provide their blossoms for decora- 

 tive purposes, the export from South- Africa in 1892 having been 

 valued at 683, weight 23 tons [MacOwan]. Many of the tall 

 Restiaceas of South- Africa would prove valuable for scenic effect in 

 gardens and conservatories, and among these may specially be men- 

 tioned Cannamois cephalotes (Beauvois). 



Elephanthorrhiza Burchelli, Bentham. 



South-Africa. The huge club-footed roots of this somewhat 

 shrubby plant are extraordinarily rich in tannin [Prof. MacOwan]. 

 All grazing animals like the foliage much ; it starts from the roots 

 again after frost [Mrs. Barber]. An allied species is E. Burkei. 



Eleusine Coracana, Gaertner.* 



Southern Asia, east to Japan, ascending the Himalayas to 7,000 

 feet. Though annual, this grass is worthy of cultivation on account 

 of its height and nutritiveness. It is of rapid growth, and the 

 produce of foliage and seeds copious. Horses prefer the hay to any 

 other dry fodder in India, according to Dr. Forbes Watson. The 

 large grains can be used like millet, and a peculiar beer can be 

 brewed from it [Professor Sadebeck]. One of the staple grains of 

 Mysore. E. Indica (Gaertner) only differs as a variety. It extends 

 to tropical Australia, and is recorded also from many other tropical 

 countries, but thrives well even as far as Port Phillip, and luxuriates 

 still as far south as Gippsland during the hot season. 



Eleusine stricta, Roxburgh. 



India. The increase of grain of this annual grass in rich soil is 

 at times five-hundredfold. Made rapid growth and promises to 

 become a valuable fodder-plant for Northern New South Wales 

 [McKeown]. E. Tocusso (Fresenius) is a valuable kind from 

 Abyssinia, seemingly allied to E. stricta. The Arabian and Hima- 

 layan E. flagellifera (Nees) is perennial. Other species of Eleusine 

 are deserving of trial. 



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