56 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 
several species of Pithecolobium are used in phlegmasie of the skin, 
pharynx, urinary canals, and respiratory organs,’ and 4. ferruginea 
is recommended in scurvy. 
Several Mimosee, such as Acacia lucida, Pithecolobium lobatum,' &e., 
have edible oily seeds, tasting something like the hazel nut. The 
embryo of Pentaclethra macrophylla’ of the Gaboon, often eaten by 
the natives, is very rich in oil, which might be turned to good 
account. In several Wepiunias, the edible parts are the leaf, buds, 
and young shoots, which are dressed as vegetables.’ Several species 
contain an odoriferous volatile oil; this is very abundant in the - 
usually yellow, very sweet scented flowers of the Australian Acaczas, 
which come out towards the end of the winter to adorn our cold and 
temperate conservatories. The sweetest is the so-called Cassia, 1.e., 
A. Farnesiana,’ from which is extracted a stimulating essence of deli- 
cious perfume. Some other species again have aromatic leaves, used 
in infusion like tea; we may mention Acacia Julibrissin W., and 
angustifolia, WENDL.® 
Colouring matters are rare in this group. However, Adenan- 
thera pavonina (Red Sandal-wood, Condori d’ Inde) supplies a red dye, 
the rukta-chundun of the Hindoos. The pods of Acacia Bambola Roxs., 
the Indian gall-tree, constitute one kind of Badlabs, and are rich in 
colouring matter. The wood of 4. heterophylla W., from the Sand- 
wich islands is impregnated with yellow pigment, and is speckled with 
darker spots. Pithecolobium Clypearia,’ from south-eastern Asia, con- 
tains beside a quantity of tannin, a dye used for colouring nets, 
which it preserves from decay. A lovely crimson is contained in the 
flowers of P. Junghuhnianum Buntu., which is, when in flower, one of 
the handsomest trees in Japan. P. parvifolium,” from the West 
Indies, contains a fine orange yellow dye-stuff in its pods, obtained 
by crushing the pulp; and the bark of Inga marginata, from 
1 RosENTH., op, cit., 1063. 
2 DC., Prodr., ii. 458, n. 105.—H. Bn., in 
Adansonia, ix. 107, n. 16.—Mimosa ferruginea 
Roxs., Fl, Ind., ii. 561. 
3 Mimosa lucida Roxn., Fl. Ind., ii. 544.— 
Albizzia lucida BENvH., in Hook. Journ., iii. 86. 
4 Bento. — Rosznts., op. cit., 1063.— 
Mimosa Jiringa Jacxk.—M. Keringa Roxs. 
5 Brntu.—H. By.,in Adansonia, vi. 20A, t. iv. 
fig. 5.— Owala of the natives of the Gaboon. 
6 Four., Fl. Cochineh., ed. Ulyssip. (1790), 
654.—RosEnTH., op. cit , 1053. 
7 See p. 41, notes 1, 2. 
8 A, odorata Drsvx. 
9 BentH.—RosEntH., op. cit., 1063.—Inga 
Clypearia Jacx.— Acacia magnifolia JuNau.— 
Mimosa trapezifolia Roxs. 
0 Bentu.—Inga Marthe SPRENG., ex DC., 
Prodr., ti. 441, n. 108. The fruit shares the 
name of Algarovilla with several others in the 
Antilles. 
ul W. (nec H. B. K., Nov. Gen. et Spec, vi. 
285).— Mimosa fagifolia L. (ex ROSENTH., op. 
cit., 1065). 
