1894.) Leguminose of Siam. 499 
distance were not too great a barrier, it would find a ready 
market in this country for veneering purposes. 
Another tree, very common farther north in Siam, is the 
bastard teak, Butea frondosa, named most probably from the 
striking similarity in the appearance of the leaves to those of 
the teak tree. It blooms during. the dry season in January 
or February, when the leaves have fallen; and the geat abund- 
ance of its large bright orange-red flowers certainly places 
_it first in gorgeousness, and if second in beauty, it is second 
only to the famous Potnciana regia. Even then it is not 
from lack of beauty in the flowers, but rather from the ab- 
sence of contrasting foliage. 
It is on the twigs and small branches of this tree, as well 
as the banyan and one or two others, that the little insect, 
Coccus lacca, makes its home, and causes the production of 
stick lac. Every yeara great many long, low-roofed boats 
- from the north come down the Menam to Bangkok, loaded 
with small branches of Butea frondosa, thickly incrusted with 
this valuable amber-colored gum. 
Plants of the genera Erythrina and Sesbanta are small trees. 
Of the three species of Erythrina, all are very striking in ap- 
pearance, because of the dense racemes of exceedingly showy 
coral-red flowers. These also appear during the dry season 
as do almost all Siamese flowers of any marked beauty. 
Sesbania grandiflora is a great favorite of the poorer peo- 
ple, on account of the edible qualities possessed by the young 
shoots, leaves, and flowers, which are eaten as a vegetable, 
with their curries. Nowhere, I suppose, are there ee 
ous flowers of larger size than those of this tree. — The ers . 
are fully four inches long, and when the flower is open, dig 
tip of the broad recurved standard or upper petal, is at a of 
tance of five or six inches from the tips of the wings ~ — 
_ One variety has pure white flowers and another dar! : 
an, it seems, is not the only animal that has a liking or 
these flowers as an article of food. The huge flying fox bats 
also consider them a great delicacy. On almost any pacar 
light night, several of them could be seen, from. the ever oP S 
windows of ‘our dwelling, as they came Sakis to ea nad 
other, and flapping their broad wings on oe ek be 
feet from tip to tip) to alight on the trees, where , on ae 
head downwards or reached out their ungainly thumbs 
other flower or branch. : 
