TO PRINCIPAL TIMBER TREES, ETC. 
63 
Dioscorea quinqueloba, Thunberg. 
Japan, and there one of several yam plants with edible tubers. 
Among numerous congeners are mentioned as providing likewise 
root vegetables : D. piperifolia (Humboldt) from Quito, D. esurien- 
tum (Fenzl) from Guatemala , D. tuberosa and D.conferta (Yellozo) 
from South Brazil, D. Cayennensis (Lamarck) from tropical 
South America, D. triphylla (Linne) from tropical Asia, D. del- 
toidea (Wallich) from Nepal. Of these and many other specif 
the relative quality of the roots, and the degree of facility 
their field cultivation require to be more ascertained. , , 
Diospyros Ebenum, Retzius.* 
Ceylon, where it furnishes the best kind of Ebony wood. It is 
not uncommon up to 5000 feet in that island, according to Dr. 
Thwaites, hence I would recommend this large and valuable tree 
for test plantations in East Gippsland, and in other lowland 
forest regions of our colony, where also D. qucesita and D.oppositi- 
folia (Thwaites), the best Calamander trees and D. Melanoxylon, 
should be tried. Many other species of Diospyros could probably 
be introduced from the mountains of various tropical regions, 
either for the sake of their ebony-like wood or their fruit. 
Diospyros Lotus, LinnA 
From Northern China to the Caucasus. The ordinary Date 
plum. The sweet fruits of this tree, resembling black cherries, 
are edible, and also used for the preparation of syrup. The 
wood, like that of D. chloroxylon, is known in some places as 
green Ebony ; it must however not be confounded with other, 
such as are furnished by some species of Exccecaria, Nectandra 
and Jacaranda. 
Dolichos uniflorus, Lamarck. 
Tropical and sub-tropical Africa and Asia. An annual herb, 
well adapted for stable pulse. 
Drimys Winteri, R. and G. Forster. 
Extra tropical South America. The Canelo of Chili, sacred 
under the name of Boiglie to the original inhabitants. Attains 
in river valleys a height of 60 feet. The wood never attacked 
by insects (Dr. Philippi) ; thus the Australian species may be 
equally valuable. 
Elseagnus parvifolius, Royle. 
From China to the Himalayas. This bush has been introduced 
as a hedge plant into North America, and, according to Mr. 
Meehan, promises great permanent success, as it achieved already 
a high popularity in this respect. Several other species might 
well be experimented on in the same manner. 
