DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 173 



Gleichenia glauca. 



A genus of polypodiaceous ferns found in the Tropics of Loth hemispheres and 

 extending to Chile and the Australasian region. The species named is found in the 

 East. The Kew Mus. exhibits a Malay hat made from the iibrous bundles of the 

 plant. 



Gnetum spp. 



These are trees or creeping shrubs found in tropical Asia and in Guiana. G. gnemon, 

 found in the Isles of Sunda, New Guinea, the Philippines, etc., yields a fiber, derived 

 from its bark, used for cordage and textures of coarse quality. G. scandens is an 

 India species, the stems of which are employed by the natives of the Andaman Islands 

 for the manufacture of fishing nets. The outer covering of the seeds of G-. urens is 

 lined with stinging hairs. 



God-tree (Mex.). See Bombax ceiba. 



Gomphocarpus physocarpus. Quomotanetu, of Natal. 



Exogen. Asclejnadacew. A shrub. 



The species of this genus are chiefly confined to southern and northeastern Africa 

 and Arabia. G. physocarpus is found in Natal. 



Fiber.— Produced from the bark. J. Medley Wood, curator of the Natal Botanic 

 Gardens, gives an interesting account of the fiber in tne Annual Report of the Durban 

 Botanic Society for 1888 (p. 13). Samples of the fiber were received in the year named 

 from Zululand, and from Durban, which were sent to England for report as to their 

 merits and value. The fiber was described as very good as to color and strength, 

 and if it could be produced in large quantities and be carefully cleaned, it would 

 bring £25 per ton c. i. f., London. 



"The peculiarity of this hemp is its exceptional strength, and no doubt if it could 

 be produced in large enough quantities and the length increased, it would sell 

 quickly and equally well with manila hemp, the present price for which is, say, £33 

 to £34 per ton." 



Samples sent to Dr. Morris, Kew, were submitted to Messrs. Ide & Christie, the 

 London fiber brokers, who reported adversely on the fiber on account of its bad prepa- 

 ration. Its value was estimated at £15 per ton, but it was thought that properly 

 cleansed its value would be enhanced 75 or 100 per cent. 



Gomphocarpus brasiliensis. 



This Brazilian species is noted, in Lofgren's paper, as found on the plants of Sao 

 Paulo called Paina de scda. Its seed hairs are used as upholstery material. The 

 plant is cultivated and blooms in the winter months. 



Gomuti fiber (Malacca). See Arenga sacchaHfera. 

 Goni. Sanskrit name of Sansevieria roxburghiana 

 Gonolobus maritimus. 



Syn. Ibatia mnricata. 

 An asclepiadaceous climber of Venezuela, " which yields a milky juice said to be a 

 good pectoral. The seed hairs are brittle and can not be spun." (Dr. Ernst). The 

 fiber was exhibited in the Venezuela court, W. C. E., 1893, under the name Silk 

 Wool of Orozuz. It is a silk cotton, or surface fiber. 



Goo-mao-mah (Austr.). See Laportea 

 Gorakha-amla (Bomb.). Adansonia. 



