14 



lands, spreads with rapidity, and in some places it is said to be 

 a troublesome weed. In Natal it does not seem to travel far 

 from the place where it was first found, viz., the Botanic 

 Gardens. 



NlCANDRA PHTSALOIDES, GjERTN. Order SOLANACEJE. 



This plant is a native of Peru, and is sometimes called the 

 41 Apple of Peru." In 1868 when " Harvey's Genera of S. 

 African Plants " was published, it was only known from Natal 

 and the Eastern districts of Cape Colony. Mr. Burtt-Davy 

 says that it was found in Transvaal in 1882 near Lydenburg, 

 in 1891 near Barberton, and now appears to have spread nearly 

 all over the Colony. It is not a very troublesome weed and 

 can easily be destroyed. On account of its rather pretty 

 flowers its growth has been encouraged in some gardens, which 

 may account for its having spread over so large a district, but 

 it is not often found far from cultivated lands. 



Parthenium hysterophorus, L. Order Composite. 



This plant, originally a native of West Indies and South 

 America, has in some way or other become naturalised in Natal, 

 but so far as known to us has only been seen in the vicinity of 

 Verulam, and is therefore most probably an escape from culti- 

 vation. It was gathered in that locality by the writer in 1886, 

 and has been noted several times since then It is one of the 

 plants that have been recommended as a substitute for quinine. 

 In Mauritius it is known as " Herbe blanche " or " Camomile du 

 pays" and is said to be used as a vermifuge, tonic and febrifuge; 

 our plant was most likely imported from Mauritius. The 

 active principle "Parthenine" has been extracted and used 

 medicinally " in a number of cases in which quinine was un- 

 successful or could not be tolerated." (New Commercial Plants 

 and Drugs, by T. Christy, F.L.S., etc.) 



Physalis minima, L. Order Solanacej;. 



This plant is closely related to P. Peruviana, the well- 

 known " Cape Gooseberry." As the name implies it is a native 

 of Peru; P. minima is said to be found in tropical Asia and 

 Australia. In Natal it would seem to be rare. It was collected 

 by Drege near the Umlaas River at about 500 feet altitude, by 

 the writer near Umhlanga at 300 to 400 feet altitude, and by 

 Gerrard without precise locality. In Transvaal it would seem 

 to be more common, and is known as " Kalkoengift " or Healing 

 leaf, and is used as a remedy for veld sores and burns or scalds, 

 the roots also are used as a medicine for " Kalversiekte." They 

 are boiled in water until the water has a dark colour, and a 

 cupfull is given to the calf three times a day until the calf is 

 better. (P. J. Fourie in " Transvaal Agricultural Journal.") 



