536 THE VEGETABLE WORLD. 
sented by a dwarf variety called Haschich, which is employed as 
a textile plant, and its extremities are smoked by some of the less 
fervent Mussulmen. Tobacco is also cultivated. Henne (Lawsonia 
inermis), the leaves of which have been employed as a black colour 
in painting, is only cultivated in the Oasis of Zeban.”’ 
Equatorial Africa is only very imperfectly known, in conse- 
quence of the terribly insalubrious nature of its coast. The same 
forms of vegetation, however, prevail there which are found in 
other tropical regions. We may remark here that the plants, 
which are usually herbaceous in countries without the tropics, 
become ligneous in these regions. This is the case with plants of 
the families of the Rubiacez and the Malvaceew. We note here also 
the almost entire disappearance of the Cruciferse and the Caryo- 
phyllacee. The prevailing families are the Leguminosew, the 
Terebinthacexw, the Malvacee, Rubiaces, Aranthaces, Cappari- 
, and Anonaceze. 
If we take a glance at prevailing vegetation proper to this 
region of Africa, we find upon the humid coasts impenetrable 
forests formed of Mangroves (Rhizophora mangle and Avicennia 
tomentosa), Plantain-trees (Musa, Amomum), odd-shaped Panda- 
nace, gigantic Malvacew (such as the Baobab), some Bromeliacee 
Aroidee, and Aloes. Among others is Aloe Socotrina, which fur- 
nishes the Aloes of medicine. This and several fleshy Euphorbias 
impress their strange characteristics upon the vigorous vegetation 
of this region. 
It would be depriving African vegetation of its richest ornament 
not to mention its admirable Palms. At their head stands the 
Olive-like Palm (Elais guineensis), the fruit of which, of the size 
of an Olive, contains so much oil that the liquid flows out when 
it is pressed between the fingers. The seed contains a sort of 
butter. The sap of this precious tree yields an excellent wine; its 
leaves prove excellent food for sheep and goats, and its fruit the 
Palm-oil. But the true Palm wine is produced from Sagus 
vinifera. Another of this elegant family of Palms is Lodoicea 
Leckellarum, the fruit of which is larger than a man’s head, and 
weighs upwards of twenty pounds; it sometimes floats as far as 
the coast of India. 
It is a fact worthy of remark that in this region very few Ferns 
