IN EXTRA-TROPICAL COUNTRIES. 311 



most important tim^jer of North India. It exudes a pale, 

 aromatic, dammer-like resin. The Tussa silkworm derives 

 food from this tree. 



Shorea Talura, Roxburgh. {S. laccifera, Heyne.) 



India, abounding in Mysore, where South European fruits 

 prosper. On this tree also the Lac insect lives. It furnishes 

 a peculiar dammer. 



Sison Amomnm, Linne. 



Middle and South Europe. A herb of one or two years' 

 duration. It grows best on soil rich in hme. The seeds can 

 be used for condiment. 



Smilaz medica, Chamisso and Schlechtendal. 



Mexico. This plant produces mainly the sarsaparilla root of 

 that country. 



Smilax officinalis, Humboldt. 



New Granada and other parts of Central America. This 

 cHmbing shrub produces at least a portion of the Columbian 

 sarsaparilla. 



Snulax papyracea, Duhamel. 



Guiana to Brazil. The oiigin of the principal supply of 

 Brazilian sarsaparilla is ascribed to this species, although 

 several others of this genus, largely represented in Brazil, 

 may yield the medicinal root also. In warm humid gullies 

 of the temperate zone these plants would likely succeed in 

 establishing themselves. Smilax Australis (R. Br.) extends 

 from the tropica] coast parts of Australia to East Gippsland. 

 Neither this nor the East Australian S. glycyphylla (Smith) 

 nor the New Zealand Ripogonum scandens (Forst.) have ever 

 been subjected to accurate therapeutic tests, and the same may 

 be said of numerous other Smilaces scattered through the 

 warmer countries of the globe. The Italian sarsaparilla, 

 which is derived from the Mediterranean S. aspera (L.), has 

 been iatroduced into medicine. 



Smilax rotundifolia, Linne, 



Eastern States of North America and Canada. A prickly 

 climber with deciduous foliage. An immense local use is 

 made of the roots for the bowls of tobacco-pipes, clay pipes 

 being there almost unknown. It is estimated that nearly 

 three millions of these briar-root pipes are now made a year. 



