16 



A transparent gum* exudes very freely from the bark, which may be 

 turned to account, the bush -women using the same as a substitute for 

 starch The supply could be rendered unlimited, this gum being easily 

 collected. 



This handsome tree, although originally a native of the Eastern 

 districts of the colony, Avhere it is extremely common, is now to be found 

 in moist and shady spots, and especially in mountain ravines in most 

 of the Western provinces, whence it has found its way also into gardens, 

 Fl. April— May. 



45. Schotia Speciosa. lacq. (Hottentot's JBoerhoon ) — 

 Branches ritrid, straitened. Leaves abruptly pinnate, many-yoked ; 

 leaflets oblong or elliptical, sessile, unequal at base, entire, 

 mucronate, leathery, smooth. Flor^'ers panicled, terminal, stalked, 

 bright-crimson ; _/?a/zz<?/es many-flowered. C^/^/a? 4 fid, deciduous; 

 petals 5 ; stamens 10-12; filaments free, exserted, and of unequal 

 length, style filiform. Legume broad, oblong, compressed, leathery, 

 winged; sielsi&\^ \ umbilicus nuked. Botan. Magaz. t. 1153. 



Height of tiunk 8-12; diameter 1 to 1^ feet. Bark brown, rugged. 

 Wood reddish-brown, hard, tough, and durable. Used chiefly for yokes, 

 fellies, triggers, or fuel. The beans, when roasted, are eaten by the 

 natives. 



Common on dry, kairoo-like places in the Eastern Province and Brit. 

 Caffraria. Fl. Jan.— Febr. 



46. ScJwtia Lafifolia. Lacq* {3Lonkey-Boerhoon ; Bosch- 

 Boerhoon) — Branches spreading. Leaves equally pinnate, 2-4 

 yoked ; leaflets sessile, obovate, blunt, leathery, smooth. Flowers 

 panicled, terminal or lateral, subsessile, pinkish ; patiieles branched, 



* Mr. Sclimieterloew has kindly favoured me with the following qualitative 

 analysis of this guru : — " The gum of Virgilia capensis agrees with Cerasin (the 

 gum of the Cherry-tree) more than with either Tragacanthin or Arabin, and 

 contains no Bassorin. It is slowly soluble in eol'd, but more readily in hot water. 

 One ounce of this gun forms with 12 ounces of water amucilageof the same thick- 

 ness and consistency as one ounce of real gum arable with 2 ounces of water, and 

 of equal transparency. It shows less acidity than gum arabic ; and in ^'■^ chemical 

 characteristics differs from Arabin as follows : 



Arabin. Gum of A^irgilia. 



Produces a copious precipitate with Produces, a faint miikiness with Oxa/a^e 

 Oxalate of Ammonia. of Ammonia. 



Diacetate of Lead produces a white Z>/ate^a/e ofZeaJ gelatinizes the muci- 

 caseous precipitate. lage. 



Peroxide o/" /row forms a broMn jelly. Is miscible with this, without any 

 Strong Spirits of JF^hc turns the muci- other effect. 

 lage white, like curdled milk. Does not throw down any caseous 



matter, and without impairing its con- 

 sistency, can be mixed with the half of 

 its bulk, which seems to make the solu- 

 tion more clear. 

 This gum could be used in medicine like gum Tiagacanth, and for manj' purposes 

 where other gums like gum arabic are applied. 



