350 
Phalaris Canariensis, L. 
The Canary Grass. An annual grass from the Canary 
Islands, now widely dispersed as a spontaneous plant over 
the warmer zones of the globe. Thus it has also become 
naturalized in Australia. It is grown for its seeds, which 
form one of the best kinds of fodder for many sorts of small 
cage-birds. The flour is utilized in certain processes of 
cotton manufacture, and liked for some kinds of cakes. The 
soil for the culture of the Canary-grass must be friable and 
not too poor. It is an exhaustive crop. As allied annual 
species of similar use, but mostly of less yield, may be enu- 
merated ; P. hracTujstacliys Link., from Italy ; P. minor 
Eetz, and P. truncata Guss., from various countries at the 
Mediterranean Sea. Other species, including some from 
Asia, are deserving of trial ; but the perennial British 
P. arundinacea, L., is too harsh to serve for wholesome 
fodder, nor does it furnish Canary seed. 
Phaseolus adenanthus, G. Meyer. 
{P. Truxillensis, Humb. P. rostratus, Wallich). 
Almost cosmopolitan within the tropics, where irrespective 
of navigation and other traffic it becomes dispersed by 
migrating birds ; truly spontaneous also in tropical Aus- 
tralia. A perennial herb with large flowers, resembling 
those of Vigna vexillata, Benth. Cultivated for its seeds, 
which are rather small ,but copiously produced. 
Phaseolus coccineus, Kniphof.* (P. multiflorus, Willd). 
The Turkish Bean or Scarlet-Eunner. A native of the 
Orient, if Sprengel’s identification is correct, according to 
which this plant was known in Arabia and Persia at 
Avicenna’s time ; but according to other opinions it is a 
native of Mexico. A twining showy perennial, as useful as 
the ordinary Trench Bean. Its seeds usually larger than 
those of the latter plant, purple with black dots, but some- 
times also pure blue and again quite white. The flowers 
occur sometimes white. The root contains a narcotic 
poison. 
