Capt. N. Vicary's Notes on the Botany of Sinde. 423 



I have already noticed Monsonia as existing on the western bor- 

 ders of the desert ; I also found it in desert places in Lower Sinde. 



Antichorus [Corchoi'us) depressus abounds on the desert bor- 

 ders, particularly at Khangurh ; Physalis somnifera is also found 

 here, and extends into the hill valleys. In Lower Sinde, south of 

 Sewan, a species of Euphorbia, very like E. pentagona, abounds 

 in many places forming impervious patches of jungle : near 

 Kotree, and also between that place and Sewan, I found an 

 " Ochradenus," I believe identical with the Egyptian 0. baccatus, 

 Delisle. Fagonia is abundant throughout Sinde, both in the hills 

 and plains ; 1 have no specimens, but considered the species to be 

 F. Mysorensis ; the flowers are pale purple. 



At Meher and some other places a species of sugar-cane is in 

 cultivation, which I believe to be unknown in India; it is called 

 " Buhadooree ;" the stems are slender and traihng ; they grow to 

 ten or fifteen feet in length, the base not being thicker than a 

 finger ; ten or twelve are usually fastened together so as to afibrd 

 mutual support ; the cane is said to yield the best sugar, but in 

 small quantity. Cleome ruta, Jacqt., is abundant on the rocks 

 at Sukkur and throughout Sinde. Typha angustifolia is found 

 on most lands subject to the annual flooding of the Indus, and 

 from it vast quantities of mats are manufactured. A species of 

 Adenanthera, I believe A. pavonia, is often found near villages in 

 Lower Sinde ; this tree has a weeping habit, and at a distance 

 looks not unlike Salix Babylonica. A remarkable species -of 

 Acacia is also found near villages ; in its mode of growth and 

 appearance it strongly resembles the funereal cypress. The 

 Sindeans call it " Cauboolee Baubool," a name which points to 

 its foreign origin. 



I was not fortunate enough to see this tree either in blossom 



fruit. Between Kotree and Kurrachee I noticed a species of 



lid cotton trailing up trees to twenty feet ; I was sick in a doo- 

 lee at the time and unable to take specimens. 



Dodonaa Burmanniana, and I believe another species, are found 

 in Lower Sinde. Aristolochia bracteata, and a Verbena akin to 

 V. officinalis, but perhaps distinct, exist on the smaller hills of 

 Lower Sinde ; Orthanthera viminea abounds throughout Sinde 

 and is a very useful plant ; like many others of its order, the bark 

 yields a strong fibre ; in this shrub it is of greater length than 

 perhaps in any other Asclepiad. I am not aware of the fibre 

 being used by the Sindeans, but the thin osier-like branches arc 

 bruised, and twisted into a strong coarse kind of rope in common 

 use. 



There arc also numerous well-known Indian forms of plants 

 in the plains of Sinde, particularly near the cultivated districts, 

 of which I took ueith(;r notes nor specimens ; the date flourishes 



" 



