332 Select Plants for Industrial Culture and 



Nyssa uniflora, Wangenheim. < 



Eastern States of North-America. The Swamp-Tupelo. Wood 

 soft, whitish; particularly adapted for trays, bowls and carving [C. 

 Mohr], that of the roots very light and spongy, hence used for corks 

 [Dr. Asa Gray]. A shrub or small tree. The mucilaginous fruits 

 are edible. 



Ochrocarpos longifolius, Bentham and Hooker. 



Western peninsula of India. A middle-sized tree. Fruit rather 

 small, but edible ; -ripens with Mangosteens still at Mysore, up to 

 3,000 feet, where the annual rainfall is only about 36 inches [J. 

 Cameron]. 



Ocimum Basilicum, Linne. 



The, " Basil." Warmer parts of Asia and Africa. Will grow in 

 Norway to lat. 63 26' [Schuebeler]. An annual herb, valuable for 

 condiments and perfumery. Several varieties exist, differing con- 

 siderably in their scent. A crystalline substance is also obtained 

 from this and similar species. O. Canum (Sims) is closely allied. 

 Valuable, like many other aromatic Labiatze, for bees. Seeds will 

 keep for fully eight years. 



Ocimum gratissimum, Linne. 



Recorded from India, the South- Sea Islands and Brazil as indi- 

 genous. Somewhat shrubby. This is also a scent-plant, like the 

 following, and is one of the best of the genus. O. viride (Willde- 

 now), from tropical Africa, seems a variety. There an infusion of it 

 is administered as a febrifuge. 



Ocimum sanctum, Linne. 



Arabia, India, tropical Australia. A perennial herb. The odor 

 of the variety, occurring in North-Australia, reminds of anise ; the 

 smell of the variety, growing in East- Australia, resembles that of 

 cloves. O. tenuiflorum, L., seems to be another variety. Probably 

 other species, cis- as well as trans-atlantic, can be used like Basil. 



Ocimum suave, Willdenow. 



East-Africa. A shrubby species. Very near 0. gratissimum. 



Ocotea bullata, E. Meyer. (Oreodaphne bullata, Nees.) 



South- Africa, in humid districts, where it is next to Nageia elata 

 one of the largest timber-trees. Planks 20 feet long and 15 inches 

 wide are occasionally obtained. The wood, called Laurelwood, has 

 such great strength, that it is preferentially used for the heavy 

 waggons of South- Africa; also employed for very durable furniture, 

 especially chairs [W. Tuck]. 



