Before His Excellency Sir Walter Hely-Hutcbinsou left the 

 Colony, he requested me to obtain for analysis roots of the 

 plants known to the natives as " Mahaden," these plants 

 are Phytolacca stricta, and P. abyssinica, after much trouble I 

 at last succeeded in obtaining both of them, the first named 

 was obtained for me by my friend Colonel Johnstone in the 

 Mooi River district, after 1 had been on a fruitless journey to 

 Newcastle in search of it, and some time afterwards ray native 

 collector found P. abyssinica in the vicinity of Durban, the 

 roots of both of these plants have now been handed over at the 

 request of the Government to the Medical Board. I may say 

 that it is believed that several cases of poisoning among the 

 natives have been caused by one or other of these plants. 



It has frequently been reported that some rubber yielding 

 plants are to be found in quantity in the neighbourhood of St. 

 Lucia Bay, and during last year our Government deputed two 

 gentlemen to visit the locality, obtain specimens a-nd report 

 generally, the few specimens brought were, in consequence of 

 the season incomplete, that is flowers were not to be got, but 

 such as the specimens were they were sent to me for determina- 

 tion, and found to be as under, the names given being those 

 attached to the specimens by the collectors-. 



Ibungu-vine. — Of this plant leaves and fruit only were sent. 

 It is a Landolphia, and most likely L. Kirkii, Dyer, but there 

 appears to be some confusion about the native name, that, how- 

 ever, is not very material, provided that the plant is really as I 

 believe it to be L. Kirkii, which is said to yield the best rubber 

 of Zanzibar coast, and it would appear from the collector's 

 report that it-is fairly plentiful. 



Mkahla (Brazil " Rotsho "). — Of this plant leaves, fruit, 

 and a portion of a branch was sent. It is undoubtedly Taber- 

 naemontana. This tree contains a milky sap, but I have never 

 heard that rubber has been obtained from it. v 



Mpufa (Costa Rica " Caucho "). — This is undoubtedly a 

 species of Ficus, and may perhaps yield rubber, but as it was 

 impossible to identify the species from the specimen sent I can 

 give no information about it. 



Rubber yielding plant from Kosi Bay. — The specimen of 

 this plant were incomplete, as no leaves were present. It belono-s 

 to the Order Apocynacex, some members of which yield rubber, 

 but it was impossible to identify the plant even generically 

 from the specimens sent to me. 



