234 



SELECT PLANTS READILY ELIGIBLE 



Yoelcker found mucli mucilage but little sugar in tliis plant. 

 The massive root known to penetrate to nine feet depth 

 sustains the plant in vigour, 'admitting it to be cut almost 

 throughout the year. The propagation is easy from root- 

 cuttings, difficult from seeds, 4000 of the former to an acre ; 

 it will thrive even in sand and tough clay, but prefers moist 

 and even boggy land. It ought here to be naturalised along 

 swamps, lagoons and river-banks. It can be dried for hay. 

 Finally it is recommended as a plant for game. 



Symphytum officinale, Linne. 



The Comfrey. Europe, Western Asia. A perennial herb. 

 The root is utilised in veterinary practice. 



Symplocos ramosissima, Wallich. 



Himalaya, up to 7500 feet. In Sikkim, according to Dr. 

 Stewart, the yellow silkworm is reared on the leaves of this 

 tree. Two allied species occur spontaneously in the forests of 

 East A ustralia. 



Synoon glandulosum, A. de Jussieu. 



New South Wales and South Queensland. This evergreen 

 tree deserves cultivation in sheltered warm forest-valleys of 

 our colony, on account of its rose-scented wood. Some 

 species of Dysoxylon of East Australia produce also rose- 

 wood. 



Tacca pinnatifida, G. Forster. 



Sand-shores of the South Sea Islands. Erom the tubers of 

 this herb the main supply of the Eiji arrowroot is prepared. 

 It is not unlikely, that this plant will endure our coast-clime. 

 The Tacca-starch is much valued in medicine, and particularly 

 used in cases of dysentery and diarrhoea. Its characteristics 

 are readily recognised under the microscope. Several other 

 kinds of Tacca are distinguished, but their specific limits are 

 not yet well ascertained. Dr. Seemann admits two (T. 

 maculata and T. Brownii) for tropical Australia, one of these 

 extending as a hill-plant to Eiji. From the leaves and 

 flower-stalks light kinds of bonnets are plaited. A Tacca 

 occurring in the Sandwich Islands yields a large quantity of 

 the so-called arrowroot exported from thence. Other species 

 (including those of Ataccia) occur in India, Madagascar, 

 Guinea and Guiana, all deserving tests in reference to their 

 value as starch-plants. 



Tagetes glanduligera, Schranck. 



South America. This vigorous annual plant is said by Dr. 

 Prentice to be pulicifugous. 



