14 SELECT PLANTS READILY ELIGIBLE 



as to give a circumference of forty feet. The stem is 

 remarkably smootla, with a girth sometimes of twelve feet. 

 It is a yellow flowering species. A. Bainesii (Baker & Dyer) 

 is almost as gigantic as the foregoing. Both doubtless yield 

 medical gum-resin like many others. A. Barberae, which is 

 closely related to A. Zeyheri, attains in Caffraria a height 

 of forty feet, with a stem sixteen feet in circumference at 

 three feet from the ground. 

 Aloe ferox, Miller. 



South Africa. This species yields the best Cape- Aloe, as 

 observed by Dr. Pappe. The simply inspissated juice of the 

 leaves of the various species of this genus constitutes the 

 Aloe drug. It is best obtained by using neither heat nor 

 pressure for extracting the sap. By redissolving the aqueous 

 part in cold water, and reducing the liquid through boiling 

 to dryness, the extract of Aloes is prepared. All species are 

 highly valuable in our colony, where they are hardy, and can 

 be used, irrespective of their medicinal importance, to 

 beautify any rocky or otherwise arid spot. 



Aloe linguiformis, Miller. 



South Africa. According to Thimberg, from this species the 

 purest gum-resin is obtained. 



Aloe plicatilis, Miller. 



South Africa. The drug of this species acts milder than 

 that of A. ferox. 



Aloe purpurascens, Haworth. 



South Africa. Again one of the plants which furnish the 

 Cape Aloe of commerce. The South African Aloe abor- 

 escens (Miller) and A. Commelyni (Willdenow) are also 

 drawn into use for Aloe, according to Baillon, Saunders and 

 Hanbury. 



Aloe socotrina, Lamarck. (A. vera, Linne). 



Hills of the Island of Socotra. Extending as a native plant 

 along the Bed Sea and the shores of India. Also cultivated 

 in Barbadoes and elsewhere, thus yielding the Socotrin-Aloe 

 and Moka-Aloe. 



Aloe spicata, Thunberg. 



South Africa. This also provides Cape-Aloe. It is an 

 exceedingly handsome plant. 



Aloe vulgaris, Lamarck. 



The Yellow-flowered Aloe. Countries aroimd the Mediter- 

 ranean Sea, also Canary Islands, on the sandy or rocky sea- 

 coast. Such places could also here readily be utilised for this 

 and allied plants. Dr. Sib thorp identified this species with 

 the 'AXoT? of Dioscorides ; hence it is not probable, that A. 



