382 



DOMESTIC BOTANY. 



expressed from them, but more abundantly from an allied 

 species native of Peru. 



Telfairia pedata. A native of the Eastern Coast of Africa, 

 and found at Zanzibar ; introduced into this country by way 

 of the Mauritius. It is a tall climbing plant like the pre- 

 ceding, having dark green palmate leaves ; its fruit is from 

 2 to 8 feet in length, 8 to 10 inches thick, and furrowed. 

 The seeds are like those of Feuillcjea, each fruit containing 

 several hundred seeds, which yield a fine oil having the 

 flavour of almonds. A plant has been grown to a great 

 length in the hothouses at Kew. 



Towel or Sponge Gourd {Luffa u^gyptiaca). A native of 

 Egypt, and now grown in many parts of Africa and the West 

 Indies. Its fruit is 1 foot or more in length, and 2 or 3 

 inches in diameter, having a thin skin and filled with spongy 

 fibre, which, when the skin is removed, is used for a skin- 

 rubber and many other domestic purposes. 



Bryony (^Bryonia dioica). A common British plant that 

 climbs over hedges and adorns them with its beautiful fruit 

 in autumn. Children should be cautioned not to eat the 

 fruit, as it is highly poisonous. It has thick, fleshy, long 

 tuberous roots, often double or made to grow so in order to 

 convert them into the appearance of a man, and are called 

 mandrakes, which are occasionally to be obtained as curio- 

 sities. It is a dangerous drastic purgative ; indeed, the 

 whole family may be considered as such, and it is only culti- 

 vation and cooking that render many culinary sorts harmless. 



Gerrardanthus megarrhiza. A remarkable plant, native of 

 Natal, having the habit of Bryonia, consisting of a circular 

 tuber corm lying on the surface of the ground, which is 3 or 

 more inches in diameter, and 1 to 2 feet thick. , It is acrid 

 and bitter. 



