IN EXTKA-TEOPICAL COUNTRIES. 79 



Cocos BiOmanzoffiana, Chamisso. 



Extra-tropic Brazil. This noble Palm attains to a height of 40 

 feet. 



Cocos Yatay, Martins.* 



Rio Grande do Sul, Uruguay, and Argentina. Forms mainly, 

 with G. Australis and C. Datil, distinct forests (Dmde) . The 

 last mentioned bears date-like fruits, according to Dr. Lorentz. 



Coffea Arabica, Linne. 



Mountains of South-West Abyssinia. The Coffee Plant. This 

 shrub or small tree has been admitted into this list, not with- 

 out great hesitation, merely not to be passed. The cultivation 

 within extra-tropical boundaries can only with any prospect of 

 success be tried in the warmest and simultaneously moistest 

 regions, frost being detrimental to the coffee plant. In 

 Ceylon the coffee regions are between 1,000 and 5,000 feet 

 above the ocean, but Dr. Thwaites observes that the plant 

 succeeds best at an elevation from 3,000 to 4,500 feet, in places 

 where there is a rainfall of about 100 inches a year. The 

 temperature there rises hardly ever above 80° F., and almost 

 never sinks below 45° F. Coffee requires moist weather whilst 

 it ripens its fruit, and a season of drier weather to form its 

 wood. For further particulars see the papers of the Planters' 

 Association of Kandy. Chemical principles : coffein, a peculiar 

 tannic acid and quiuic acid. The loss sustained in 1878 alone 

 by the ravages of parasitic fungus growth on coffee plants in 

 Ceylon amounted to £2,000,000, the total loss since 1869 

 from this source to £15,000,000 (Abbay). In America, coffee 

 plantations have suffered not only from the attacks of erysi- 

 phoid fungi, but also the Cemiostoma Fly. The Liberian 

 Coffee (C. Liberica, Bull) has shown immunity from the latter 

 insect (Dr. Imray) . Coffee leaves have recently come into use 

 as tea. 



Coffea Liberica, Bull. 



The Liberian Coffee plant, distinguished already by Afzelius. 

 Requires greater heat than the ordinary coffee ; less affected by 

 the Hemileia mould j berries larger j flavour superior; pro- 

 ductiveness greater. 



Colchicum auctiminale, Linn^. 



Middle and South Europe, West Asia. The Meadow Saffron. 

 The seeds and roots of this pretty bulbous-tuberous herb are 

 important for medicinal use. The plant has been introduced 



