470 Curtis' s Botanical Magazine. 



spring oS 1829, in the open border ; and the plants not having flowered, 

 they were taken into the house during winter, and replanted abroad in 

 March. The flowers began to appear in June, and were abundantly pro- 

 duced during the whole summer. • Thus treated, S, Hookere has proved 

 itself of biennial duration, at least ; what its usual duration in this country 

 may be, remains to be ascertained." — 3071. Janipha Mdnihot, Eatable* 

 rooted Physic-nut, Bitter Cassada, Cassava, Manioc, or Tapioca. This 

 plant has a root the size of a man's fist, which is yellowish, and abounds 

 in a juice so poisonous, that if it be internally taken, it is fatal in a few 

 minutes to cats, dogs, and man ; acting on the nervous system. All the 

 Eu'phoThidcece are essentially distinguished by their acrid and poisonous 

 qualities; but it is a matter of remark and astonishment that the root 

 of bitter cassada, when broken into pieces, and totally freed, by heavy 

 pressure, from its venomous juice, yields, after it is dried and ground, an 

 abundant flour, that is most extensively employed in lieu of bread through- 

 out a very large portion of South America. A preparation of this root is even 

 imported largely into our country, and served up at table, under the name 

 of tapioca. Cassava bread is in the most general demand of any provision 

 all over the West Indies, and is employed to victual ships. The use of 

 tapioca is still more extended ; and the great application of tapioca through- 

 out Eui'ope is for the same purposes as sago and arrow-root. There is 

 another variety of cassava, but not described in this article farther than 

 that it is " the Sweet Cassava of Browne's Jamaica, p. 350. ; of Lunan's 

 Hort, Jam., vol.i. p. 163. ; and the Mdnihot Aissi of Pohl : and its root is 

 white, and free from deleterious qualities." Notwithstanding these two 

 differences, the bitter and sweet cassava " seem not to differ in botanical 

 characters. They are both especially cultivated in the colonies." " An acre 

 of ground planted with manioc, or bitter cassava, yields nourishment to 

 a greater number of persons than six acres cultivated with the best wheat ; 

 but it is probable that it greatly exhausts the soil." The mode of culture 

 is this : — " After burning the felled trees, the lands are planted with cut- 

 tings of this plant. In 18 or 20 months the roots have attained their full 

 size. During this time the farmer endeavours, above all things, to check 

 the upward growth of the plants by breaking out theii" buds. Each plant- 

 ation usually yields three crops, and is then abandoned. (^Spix and Martius's 

 Travels in Brazil.y — 3072, Chrysophyllum Cainlto, A species of star- 

 apple, a well known fruit of the West Indies, where, however, it appears to 

 be more esteemed by the natives than by Europeans. In our stoves it re- 

 commends itself by the beauty of its leaves, particularly their brown and 

 gold coloured, satin-textured under-side. It blossomed in the stove of the 

 Glasgow botanic garden in November, 1830 : its flowers are small, in colour 

 yellowish white, and but rarely produced. — 3073. Aj'gemone grandiflora. 

 This splendid plant, " now not uncommon in our gardens, produces freely 

 •its fine white blossoms, with their orange stamens and brilliant stigma, 

 through all the summer months," 



No. LIV. for June, contains 

 3074. Dendrobium speciosum. A much moi'e pei-fect figure of this fine 

 species than the original one in Smith's Exotic Botany, that having been 

 drawn in New Holland by a person not skilled in botanical drawing. — 

 3075. Lobelia *hypocraterif6rmis, Habfev-Jloivered Lobelia. A purple- 

 flowered interesting little plant, native of the southern shores of New Hol- 

 land. — 3076. Broughtonza sanguinea. Scarlet-flowered Broughtonia. A 

 showy orchideous plant. — 3077. Ornithogalumfimbriatum. — 3078. Rhip- 

 salis mesembryanthemdides. — 3079. Rhipsalis fasciculata. — 3080. Rhip- 

 salis *Cassytha. These three species are published from the collection of 

 William Christy, Esq., Clapham Road, by whom the technical descriptions 

 are supplied : the three drawings are from the accurate pencil of Mr. 

 J. D. Sowerby. 



