Some Stray Notes on Sapiwm. 151 
Tt is as follows : “ In a copy of a paper I have just received through the kind- 
ness of Monsieur J. Huber, of the Para Museum, entitled ‘ Revue Critique des 
Espéces du genre Sapium, I observe that our specimens identified as Sapiwm 
aucuparium, Jacq. have been referred to a new species S. Helmsleyanum 
Huber.” Now Mr. Bartlett quotes Dr. Huber as writing of Para rubber as follows : 
“Little of it (Para rubber) is pure Hevea rubber but usually a mixture of the 
latices of H. Braziliensis and Sapium aucuparium. The rubber of S. aucuparium 
has never been marketed alone and very litt e can be said definitely of its value. 
But when mixed with Hevea latex a rubber is produced not to be distinguished 
from the supposed pure Hevea rubber.” 
Mr. Bartlett brought forward two theories, in 1907, to reconcile these different 
experiences as to the latex of the so-called local S. aucwpariwm, viz., either that 
the species was different, or to quote this authority ““more than one distinct 
species have been included under this name,” or that the trees yielding resin 
in this colony on our coastlands were only comparatively young trees. 
It is a well-known fact, of course, that, if we except Hevea brasiliensis, many 
rubber-producing trees yield, when they are young, poor quality resins rather than 
caoutchoue. 
At any rate sufficient has been said to show that it is important that there 
should be no confusion concerning the identity of this tree. 
But the question of the resinous quality of the latex furnished by trees known 
to yield rubber of good quality when they have attained a number of years, 
brings us to that which naturally is now arising. Do the so-called S. Jenmani 
yield rubber at a sufficiently early stage of growth to make planting Sapium 
rubber-growing a commercial undertaking ? Have we to wait for five or fifty 
years before a product comparatively rich in rubber and poor in resin is 
obtained ? These are questions which we should very much like to see definitely 
settled, while the provoking variability of the genus iteslf also pleads for a 
nomenclature, ‘the definiteness of which may give the answer to many puzzling 
conditions. 
As to its variable characteristics, I may mention that, recently in the North 
Western District, I found a Sapiwm sp. with a twisting, tortuous stem, which 
was hugging in its vice-like grip one of our native palms, in an embrace 
which must prove to be one of death, so far as the unfortunate palm is concerned. 
One would have been certain that this cruel habit belonged to a native 
Ficus, but the leaves proved thetree to be a Sapium, and one which yielded a thick- 
creamy latex apparently rich in caoutchouc and quite different from the sticky 
substance furnished by our Ficus and non-rubber yielding Sapiums. 
To return to the question of the mixing of latices of S. aueuparim and Hevea 
brasiliensis, it might prove of interest to carry out some experiments with the 
mixing of the latex of Sapium Jenmani and other rubber yielding Sapiums with 
that of Hevea brasiliensis, 
