786 PROFESSOR BALFOUR ON THE IPECACUAN PLANT. 



plants in a withered state, but with the roots in dry earth, reached the garden 

 safely from Rio Janeiro. They had been kept in a dry place, and not watered. 

 Their roots had been dormant, and they were ready to sprout when planted 

 out and watered. By imitating nature, and allowing the plants to remain dor- 

 mant for a time, the vitality of the roots had not been destroyed, and much 

 trouble was avoided in transport. Under-ground stems or sprouting-roots may 

 be kept for a long time in a dry condition. If this plan were adopted, a far 

 larger number of Ipecacuan plants, having the upper part of the stem and leaves 

 cut off, might be transmitted in a state fit for germination and for yielding cut- 

 tings when placed in favourable circumstances as regards moisture and heat 

 combined. The vitality of rhizomes even in a dry state is very great. Dr 

 George Henderson of the Bengal Service, who is about to superintend the 

 Calcutta Garden during Dr King's absence, will take with him plants prepared 

 in this manner. I have also supplied a small box containing roots in a dry state 

 for transmission to Calcutta through the post. If the method succeeds, there 

 will be a great saving of trouble and expense. 



There is now a good stock of plants in India, and I have no doubt that, 

 from the roots of those now in cultivation there, a large stock of young plants 

 may be speedily produced in Sikkim, so as to furnish an abundant supply 

 of this most important drug for our Indian possessions. Mr Andrew T. Jaf- 

 frey, in a letter to Sir Eobert Christison, dated Darjeeling, 19th September 

 1872, states that by the end of the year he expects to be able to report that he 

 has 2000 to 3000 plants of Ipecacuan in cultivation. I may also state that Mr 

 Lindsay finds that the leaves, taken from the plant and placed with their 

 petioles in damp warm sand, and covered by a bell-glass, give off abundance of 

 roots. It still remains to be determined whether these roots will be developed 

 sufficiently to furnish cuttings for propagating the plant. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATES XXXI. AND XXXII. 



Illustrating the Form and Structure of the Ipecacuan Plant. 



Plate XXXI. 



Figure 1. Plant of Ipecacuan (Cephaelis Ipecacuanha, Rich.) grown in the Royal Botanic Garden of 

 Edinburgh. It is represented about half the natural size. The stem (a, a, a, a) is woody and 

 branching. It is, however, usually simple. The roots (b, b, b) come off from the lower part 

 of the stem, and are annulated. It can be cut into sections, which produce leaf-buds, and 

 seem to combine the characters of stem and root. The leaves (c, c, c) are opposite, and 

 have oval or elliptical forms with a blunt point. From the upper part of the stem proceed 

 peduncles bearing capitula of flowers. At first the capitula are erect, as seen in the branch 

 to the left ; while in that to the right they are bent down by a change in the direction of 

 the peduncle. 



