IN EXTRA-TEOPICAL COUNTRIES. 353 



tree o£ gi-eat age which measured at 3 feet from the ground 

 7 feet in circumference, and covered a space of trellis-work 60 

 feet by 102 feet. Flowers likely available for scent distillation. 



Witheringia solanacea, L'Heritier. 



South America. This perennial herb needs trial culture, on 

 account of its large edible tubers. 



Xauthorrhiza apiifolia, L'Heritier. 



North America. A perennial, almost shrubby plant of 

 medicinal value. The root produces a yellow pigment similar 

 to that of Hydrastis Canadensis (L.). Both also contain 

 berberin. 



Ximenia Americana, Linne. 



Tropical Asia, Africa, and America, passing, however, the tropics 

 in Queensland, and gaining also an indigenous position in 

 Florida. This bush may therefore accommodate itself to cooler 

 clime in localities free of frost. The fruits are edible, resem- 

 bling yellow plums in appearance; their taste is agreeable. 

 The wood is scented. 



Yucca brevifolia, Engelmann. , 



Arizona and Utah, in the deserts. Attains a height of 20 feet. 

 The whole plant can be converted into paper (Vasey). 



Yucca filamentosa, Linn^. 



The Adam's Needle. From Carolina and Florida to Texas 

 and Mexico. An almost stemless species. It would hardly 

 be right to omit here the pknts of this genus altogether, as 

 they furnish a fibre of great strength, similar to that of the 

 Agaves. Moreover, all these plants are decorative, and live in 

 the poorest soil, even in drifting coast-sand. They are also 

 not hurt, as is the case with the Fourcroyas, by slight frosts. 

 Among the species, with stems of several feet in height, may 

 be recorded Y. gloriosa (L.) and Y. aloifoha (L.), both from 

 the sandy south coast of North America. The former proved 

 hardy at Torquay, England (W. Wood). 



Yucca Treculiana, Carri^re. 



From Texas westward. Height of stem up to 50 feet, 

 branched only near the summit. Grand in aspect and also 

 most showy on account of- its vast number of white flowers of 

 porcelain lustre. The fruit tastes like that of the Papaw 

 (Lindheimer). 



