PLANTS WHICH IN DRYING STAIN PAPER. 41 
DROSERACEA. 
The first reference to the staining power of Australian 
Droseras I can find is as follows’ :—‘*‘ These Droseracous 
plants appear likely to be in some cases of commercial 
value as dyers’ plants. Every part of D. gigantea stains 
paper of a brilliant deep purple; and when fragments are 
treated with ammonia they yieldaclear yellow. The bulbs 
of D. erythrorrhiza and stolonifera possess the same 
property; in these there is a deep scarlet powder secreted 
by the scales of the bulbs, which is instantly dissolved in 
ammonia, forming at first an orange-colored fluid of great 
richness, but it soon changes to the rich purple above 
mentioned.” 
Hooker’ largely follows Lindley in some remarks on D. 
stolonifera, Endl. Later on, Bentham’ remarks, ‘‘ Nearly 
all the species of this section (Hrgaleium) dye the paper in 
which they are preserved a rich carmine or purple colour.”’ 
It remained, however, for Prof. H. H. Rennie of Adelaide 
to examine the colouring matter of this genus. He first 
extracted two beautiful red colouring matters from the 
corms,’ and subsequently submitted these colouring matters 
to an exhaustive examination.’ 
GENTIANACEA. 
Gentiana saxosa, Forst., from the Australian Alps, gives 
a yellowish-brown, but not strong stain. 
LOGANIACEA. 
Logania linifolia, Schlecht. A specimen from the Mallee 
district, Victoria, stains paper very strongly purplish; the 
stain actually goes through the paper. 
1 Appendix to Edwards’ Botanical Register :—‘* A sketch of the vegeta- 
tion of the Swan River Colony,” by John Lindley, xxi. (1839). 
* Icones Plantarum, Vol. tv., tab. 389 (1841). 
3 Flora Australiensis, 11., 462. 
* Journ. Chem. Soc., April 1887. j 
* «The colouring matter of Drosera Whittakeri,” Journ. Chem. Soc., LXIII. 
1083 (1893). 
