230 
pinnatis basalibus basi furcatis, lobis linearibus integris, venis immersis 
occultis, indusio lato continuo brunneo persistente glabro crenulato. 
Habitat.—Somali-land: Golis range, in rock y gorges at Dara-as, 
alt. 5000 ft., Miss Edith Cole, Mrs. Lort Phillips 
Stipes 25 poll. longus. Lamina 3-6 poll. ittm 2-3 poll. lata. 
Habit of Cheilanthes farinosa, Kaulf. The persistent indusia meet 
almost edge to edge at the midrib. 
CCCCLXXVI.—SHU-LANG ROOT. 
(Dioscorea rhipogonoides, Oliver.) 
Plants belonging to the monocotyledonous order Dioscoreacee 
consist of climbing shrubs of which the black bryony (Tamus communis) 
with an acrid tuber and red berries is a familiar exam 
pees the typical genus is Dioscorea producing the fleshy tuberous 
own as yams. These are widely cultivated and form the chief 
food i i many even and sub-tropical countries. In China a Dioscorea 
ibed eraa ow cary, Bad as a “dye yam." We are indebted to 
Dr. Augus din , F.L.S, who has already done so much for 
Chinese Toten for the following particulars :— 
Note ON SHU-LANG. 
dinae ea rhipogonoides, Oliver, was first discovered by Mr. Ford in 
ng Kong, and is described in Hooker’s Icones Plantar um, tab. 1868. 
No mention is made there of its economic importance, and 1 believe it 
was not until Mr. Ford made his excursion up the Canton river that he 
became aware of the use of the root as a dye. The Chinese hunt for it 
in Hong Kong, and little of the flant is left there on that account. 
In Formosa the plant occurs plentifully in the mountains; and th 
roots are brought to the coast, where they are much used by false 
for dyeing and tanning their nets. JT am not aware that any expor 
The root (and plant as well) is known to the Chinese as shu-lang, and 
occurs in commerce as “dye-root” or “dye-yam”; while in Tonkin 
the French apply to it the name faua gabier The Customs Trade 
a tuberous root called shu-lang or faux gambier. It is extensively used 
at Pakhoi in dyeing coarse native savant cloth and fishing nets a dark 
brown or tan colour 
_ The lately ope ened Customs station on the Kwangsi-Annam frontier, 
Lungchow, is at present the seat of the trade; and the following 
quotations are from Customs Trade Reports on that port for the years 
t 
: “ The principal article rod see into Lungchow in 1889, was eee 
3,700 piculs, value 4,437 taels (over 200 tons a 11000, kt 
tuberous root growing wild in dk hilly districts of Tonkin, It is tm 
_ to a certain extent cultivated, ak a strange to say, deteriorates 
the c inc M s is usually gathered in spring and early summer and is 
à down the West River to mind where it is used to dye 
