166 J. H. MAIDEN. 



Bombax malaharicum, DC, the "Simool Tree," or " Malabar Silk- 

 cotton Tree " of India. 

 The gum (Mocharas or Mucherus) only exudes from portions of 

 the bark which have been injured by decay or insects; incisions 

 in the healthy bark produce nothing. It is very astringent, and 

 is used both by Hindus and Mahometans in diarrhoea, dysentery, 

 and menorrhagia, in doses of from 40 to 50 grains an adult. 

 (Dymock, Materia Medica of Western India). Waring (Pharm* 

 of India), however says that this gum, or rather product of a 

 diseased action, is incorrectly referred to this species, and that its 

 botanical source is unknown. This astringent gum is further 

 described by Lauterer (33). The tree is native of Queensland 

 and Northern Australia. 



Hibiscus heterophyllus, Yent. 



Lauterer (33) gives an analysis of this gum. The small tree is 

 a native of Eastern Australia. 



Thespesia populnea, Corr. 



A gum sent from Coimbatore (No. 2098) to London in 1873, is 

 in irregular elongated tears of a dark pitchy-brown colour, shining, 

 of the cherry gum kind, tasteless, but little soluble, swelling in 

 water. 



The Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods writing on the occurrence of 

 this tree in Northern Queensland, states that the rich yellow gum 

 in the seed-vessels is like gamboge, and ought to be valuable. I 

 believe, however, that its colouring matter is small, and of no 

 value. It is a native of Queensland and Northern Australia. 



STERCULIACEiE. 



For an account of the gum exuded by many species of Stercu- 

 liaceous gums, including exotic, see Maiden (41). For notes on 

 Sterculia gums in general, see Pharmacographia indica, 228, also' 

 Pharm. Journ. [3], xx. 560, 868. 



The mucilage of Sterculia platanifolia, (young shoots) consists 

 of araban with some galactan, according to K. Yoshimura, Bull. 

 Coll. Agric. Imp. Univ, Tokyo, 1895, 2,207. Journ. Chem. Soc. 



