DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 171 



Fiber. — The bark of this tree, known in Peru as the Yaguayagua, or JTuitoc, 

 "furnishes a fiber that is used by the Indians for making rough clothing" (Dorca). 



Geonoma baculifera. The Ubim. 



A genus of tropical American palms. The species occurs in British Guiana, where 

 it is used as a thatch material. 



Where the Iroolie {Manicaria saccifera) does not grow the small, transparent leaves 

 of dealibanni (G. baculifera) afford a thatch which is in one respect still more con- 

 Axnient than iroolie. They are gathered and fastened together by their stalks so 

 as to hang close together, and with their sides overlapping, from a long lath cut 

 from the stem of the Booba palm, Iriartea exorrMza. Such rows of leaves, 10 or 12 

 feet long, and 2 or 3 deep, are arranged one above and overlapping each other. 

 The advantage is easy removal to tie upon a new framework. (E. F. im Thurn.) 



Specimens of thatch material from an unidentified species of Geonoma are exhib- 

 ited in the Kew Mus., used by the Arawak Indians of British Guiana. Orton states 

 that G. baculifera is called Ubim in Brazil. G. multijiora, see fig. 57. 



Gesnouinia arborea. 



An herbaceous perennial belonging to the Urticacece. Savorgnan states that G. 

 arborea, Teneriffe, yields a fiber similar to that extracted from the ramie plant. I 

 find no other reference to the genus as fiber producing. 



Geta netul (Ceyl.). Streblus asper. 



Ghaipat (Ind.). Yucca gloriosa. 



Ghanga (Beng.). Cannabis sativa. 



Ghay-mari, of Liotard. (lucl.). Agave vivipara, 



Ghi-kayar ) (I d } Moe 



Ghirta-kumari ) v ' 



Giant asclepias (Ind.). See Calotropis gigantea. 



Giant nettle (Austr.). See Laportea gig as. 



Gietta and Guyetta. (Arizona.) Hilar ia jamesii. 



Gigantic gum tree (See Eucalyptus obliqua). 



Ginestra. 



A general term used in Italy to designate Spartium junceum, and similar grass-like 



plants. Some of the plants recognized in Italy under this name are : di spagna, 



Spartium junceum; - da granate, S. scoparinm; di bosco, Coronilla emerus. 



Parmo ginestrino is ginestra cloth. 



The employment of the small twigs of the Ginestra for binding up vines and gath- 

 ering together bundles of herbs is very ancient, as is attested by Pliny, who writes : 

 u Genista quoque vinculi prcestat." The increased use of this plant is indicated, in the 

 thirteenth century, by the statement, "From Ginestra can be made tow or wadding 

 and oakum which may be used in place of hemp or of flax." (Extract from the Trea- 

 tise on Agriculture, Milan, 1805.) The peasants in many places wore cloth woven 

 from the fiber of Ginestra. In Maremma from time immemorial they have produced 

 fiber from this plant for the manufacture of coarse material. 



Girardinia palmata. The Nilghiri Kettle. 



Syn. Cr. heterophylla and G. zeylanica. 

 Exogen. Urticacece. A tall herb, 4 to 6 feet. 

 In the Die. Ec. Prod. Ind., Vol. Ill, this important species of nettle is described 

 under the name G. lieterophylla, the two forms known as G. palmata and G. zeylanica 



