t 18 ] 



387" and with Engelmann's A. rigida (387 is a slip for 837), 

 where A. Karwinskii of Zuccarini is described from, the 

 Nova Ada Acad. Carol. Leopold., the description not agreeing 

 very well with the sketch in Gartenflora, which is like A. 

 ixtlioides of Bot. Mag. 5893. " A. rigida " of Engelmann, 

 which includes A. sisalana Perrine, is, so far as sisalana 

 is concerned, a very different type of Euagave. 



Furcraeasp. .'.... 1 



Leaves 20 40 rather sharply ascending from a short fairly 

 stout trunk forming a compact tuft, obovate-lanceolate, bright 

 green, upper surface glossy, perfectly smooth on both surfaces, 

 4 6 feet long and upwards, breadth at widest part which is 

 somewhat below the middle 8*5 in., thickness at this point *75 

 in. or under, hardly constricted above the base which is 4 in. 

 across by 2*5 in. or less in thickness, margins irregularly 

 furnished with weak spreading prickles, pale below, rust coloured 

 upwards, occasionally quite spineless, margins involute just 

 below the leaf-apex forming for the last "75 in. or less a green 

 canaliculate blunt unarmed acumen. 



[Inflorescence not available.] 



INDIA: cult, in Botanic Gardens, Calcutta, Saharanpur, Lai Bagh, Banga- 

 lore (also a variegated form) and most public Gardens in India ; Dehra Dun, 

 Basu (but probably from a garden) ! planted by Railways in the Deccan, Miraj, 

 Surkill; planted and naturalized in W. Mysore, Yercaud, and on the 

 Shevaroy Hills, Cameron ; near Coonoor Sutler ! 



DJSTEIB : The native country is not accurately known : it is understood to 

 be extensively cultivated from Venezuela to E. Brazil, whence it was introduced 

 by Father Leries, almoner (of his order ?), to the Mauritius, in the 16th century 

 (Aublet I. 305) and from the Mauritius, we suppose, to S. India, where it is 

 known as "Mauritius hemp." 



The leaf* when crushed exudes a colourless fluid which has 

 a faint but by no means foetid odour. This plant can hardly be 



* Both surfaces of the leaf in this Furcrsea have a minutely punctulate 

 appearance. This under the lens is found to be due to groups of stoinata, in each 

 of which the lumen is occluded by an inorganic laminated octahedral body. In 

 F. Selloa (and presumably other species in which the back of the leaf has an 

 "emery paper" feel) these occluded stomata are more numerous, and accom- 

 panied by minute cones of the same inorganic structure, ending in an edge like 

 that of a cutting diamond, with their sides laminated, embedded in the cells of 

 the epidermis and extruded from a cavity which is probably a metamorphosed 

 sterna-chamber. 



For the microscopical analysis we are indebted to Or, Irvine Fortescue, 

 lately Offg. Curator of the Royal Herbarium, Calcutta. 



