270 
and it could not be mistaken for that of the pine-apple. The specimens 
forwarded by Mr. Parker were ew p up and labelled, and, taken 
with peono, they may be considered to have de nitely 
setiled the point at iss Mr. Thiselton- Dy er would venture to express 
the hope that the Secretary of State will communicate the thanks of 
this establishment to Mr. Parker for the very intelligent manner in 
which he has assisted in this i inquiry. 
amen. o D. Morais. 
LXXXII—ECONOMIC PLANTS OF MADAGASCAR. 
[K. B., 1890, pp. 200-211. ] 
In a valuable paper by the Rev. Richard Baron, a L.S., on the Flora 
of Madagascar (Journ. Linn. Soc., vol. XXV., pp. 246- wD, ‘it is stated 
that the “vegetable productions of Madagascar have been very ex- 
“ tensively Capia and that the majority of the plants inhabiting the 
“island are known to science.” he flora of the low lands of the 
southern parts of the island is still, however, the least known. Our 
ledge has been greatly increased through the very successful Jabours 
of Mr. Baron himself, and his collections, received at Kew, have been 
determined and described by Mr. . Baker, F.R. is estimated 
that whereas until recently less than 2 000 species of plants were known 
from Madagascar, there are now named and onesie about 4,100 
species, 
Mr. Baron has been good enough to supplement his paper on the 
Flora of pr pe sem by preparing for the Kew Bulletin some pe but 
interesting notes on the economic plants of the island. These plants 
are of consi derabil interest and importance. One of the earliest notices 
of Madagascar economic plants is contained i 
Madagascar, “ now oe 
(Mauritius), are given under their native ames, The Karó a 
Raven j o oe Sobre vene- 
nifera) and the Filao (a species of Casuar a ea ts others are 
noticed. The latter tree be Bee and not tnuporantadely described 
as “ Equisetum arboresce 
Dr. . Parker, a dica] missionary sent out to Madagascar, has 
recently prepared a Malagasy Materia Medica, with special reference to 
the use of native plants. This, with determinations made at Kew, 
was “atamitinicated to the Phar maceutical Journal, 1881, vol. Xi., 
pp. 853-855 
There are numerous scattered notes respecting = economic plants 
of Madagascar to be found in other , but the above appear to 
include the more systematic attempts to describe chain It may not be 
id a eset to mention here that Batic are still some very valuable 
plants of Madagascar about which at present we know very little. As 
shown in the Kew Bulletin for May, eg P: 135, we are not acquainted 
with the source of Madagascar Eb Madagascar Sandal w 
There is also the plant which yiel Madagascar Piassava. This is 
doubtless a_palm, but not a species of Raphia as is generally supposed. 
