126 



SELECT PLANTS READILY ELIGIBLE 



flowers has rather a pleasant taste without strong bitterness. 

 The flowers serve as a tonic and especially as a sudorific, and 

 possess a peculiar volatile oil. Marrubium vulgare, L., is 

 not prominently mentioned, as it is already rather copiously 

 naturalised. 



Matricaria glabrata, Candolle. 



The South African Chamomile. This annual herb is there in 

 renown as an excellent substitute for the European Chamo- 

 mile (Dr. Pappe). 



Mauritia flexuosa, Linne. 



From Guiana to Peru and Brazil. This noble Palm may 

 prove hardy here, as it is known to ascend up to 4000 feet 

 along the Essequibo. As Palms like Bamboos prove here to 

 be among the hardier of tropical plants, also exjDeriments for 

 naturalising M. vmifera, Martins, might be instituted. This 

 attains a height of 150 feet, leaves 15 feet long, and spouts 

 from the incised stem a copious viny sap. 



Maytenus Boaria, Molina. {Boaria Molince, Candolle ; 

 Maytenus Chilensis, Candolle.) 

 Chili. An evergreen tree, assuming in the southern 

 provinces considerable dimensions. Wood extremely hard. 

 Cattle and sheep browse Avith predilection on the foliage; 

 hence the trees are cut down when in protracted snowfalls or 

 in times of drought forage becomes scarce (Dr. Philippi). 



Medicago arborea, Linne. 



South Europe, particularly Greece. This shrubby yellow 

 Lucerne is of value for dairy farmers, as it much promotes 

 the secretion of milk. This genus includes several other 

 species of pastoral value. 



Medicago lupulina, Linne. 



The Black Medick. Europe, Asia and North America. An 

 annual or biennial pasture-herb, easily grown and not with- 

 out nutritive importance. Langethal observes : It effects for 

 argillaceous soils what the white clover does for sandy moist 

 soils. It will even succeed in moory gi^ound, provided such 

 contains some lime. It suits also particularly for sheep- 

 pastures. 



Medicago sativa, Linne. 



Orient; now spread through Middle and South Europe and 

 Middle Asia. The purple Medick, Ajfalfa or Lucerne. A 

 perennial fodder-herb of great importance, and already largely 

 utilised in our colony, perhaps descended from the English 

 Medicago falcata, which also deserves naturalisation. Lucerne 

 keeps here green and fresh in the hottest season of the year, 

 even in dry and comparatively barren ground, but developes 



