163 



most useful timber-trees, for ship and railway-carriage CASE 

 building. In India the wood is used for house building, 89« 

 bridges, railw^ay-sleepers, &c., and in Burma it is 

 extensively used for carving. 



Various ^ specimens are shown including a musical 

 instrument and screen, carved in it. 



No. 397. Teak, quite sound, from Salsette in Bombay, 

 supposed to be 2,000 years old. 



The rest of this Case is devoted to species of Premna 

 and GmeMna, from India and Burma. 



The first compartment of this Case is devoted chiefly to CA.SE 

 specimens of woods and fruits of species of Vitex. 90. 



On the upper shelves of the next compartment are 

 woods of Avicennia nitiday Jacq., from British Guiana, 

 and A, officinalis^ L., from Queensland. They are some- 

 times known under the name of White Mangrove, in 

 consequence of their growing in tidal estuaries near the 

 sea coast. 



Labiate Order (Ldbiatae). A large and well-marked 

 group of about 3,000 species, prevailing in dry situations 

 in the warmer temperate regions. Marked botanically by 

 the four-angled stem, opposite dotted leaves, whorls of 

 lipped (labiate) flowers, often of great beauty, as in Salvia^ 

 and a deeply four-lobed dry fruit. The order is devoid 

 of hurtful properties. Many species are highly fragrant 

 Jand aromatic, as Sage, Pennyroyal, Lavender, Peppermint, 

 Marjoram, &c., specimens of which, with many essential 

 oils, are here exhibited. 



Observe rosaries made of beads turned from the roots of 

 TOOLSI {Ocimum sanctum^ L.) a plant cultivated through- 

 out India, sacred to Vishnu and held in great veneration. 

 The beads are worn round the necks and arms of the 

 Vishnu Brahmins. In North Queensland the leaves are 

 crushed in water which is drunk by the natives in fever 

 .and sickness ; dried, the white people make ' bush tea * 

 of them. 



Note also seeds of Hyptis spicigeray Lamk., an annual ; 

 probably a native of America, but also widely spread in 

 Tropical Africa. The seeds have been occasionally 

 imported into this country, both from the East and West 

 African Coasts, as oil seeds. 



