FLOm OF ADEN . 
159 
Uses : — “ Notwithstanding the hardness and length of the spinesj which 
grow on its branches, intermingled with its leaves, the camels, from the 
cartilaginous formation of their mouths, feed on both with much avidity, 
and without to appearance suffering any inconvenience. The fruit, of 
which they are equally fond, clusters in great abundance amidst its 
branches, and from its golden colour gives to the tree a rich and pleasing 
appearance ; the natives assert that it is produced at all seasons ; it re- 
sembles a cherry in form and size, and has a peculiar though mild and 
pleasant flavour. The Arabs pound them between two stones into a paste- 
like consistense, which they mix with ghee, and swallow with much 
apparent relish.” (Wellsted in Journ. Roy. Geogr. Soc. Y. (1835 
151.) 
See also : Ibn-el-Beithar, II, p, £38 — £39. 
2. Zizyphlis lotus Lam. Diet. Ill, 316 ; Anders. Journ. Linn. 
Soc. Y, Suppl. p. 13; Batt. et Trab. FI. d'Alg. II, 188. 
Rhamnus lotus L. Sp. 281. 
Description: — Small trees; branches zigzag, slender, spinose ; bark 
whitish. Leaves 6 lines — 1J inches long, 4 lines— 1 inch broad, ovate, 
three-nerved, obsoletely crenate, softly tomentose on the lower side ; 
petiole 6 lines long ; stipular spines unequal, the shorter one recurved, 
the longer one straight and longer than the petiole. 
Flowers inconspicuous, £ together in the axils of leaves ; peduncle 
much shorter than the petiole, deflexed. Ovary bilocular; styles two. 
Drupe solitary, subglob ose, the size of a cherry. 
Fruits : — Dec 3 889 (DefL). 
Locality : — Aden (Hook,, Birdw., DefL). 
Distribution : — Both shores of the Mediterranean, Palestine, Hadra- 
maut. 
XVI— VITACEJL 
Sarmentose or suberect shrubs with usually a copious watery juice ; 
stems and branches nodose. Leaves alternate, rarely opposite, simple or 
digitately or pedately 3 — 11 -foliate, rarely pinnate. 
Flowers regular, hermaphrodite, rarely unisexual, in cymes, racemes, 
panicles or thyrsi, usually opposite the leaves, peduncles often trans- 
formed into simple or compound tendrils. Calyx small, entire or 4 — 5- 
dentate or-lobed. Petals 4 — 5, free or variously cohering, valvate. 
Stamens 4 — 5, opposite to the petals, inserted outside and often between 
the lobes of a hvpogynous disk ; filaments subulate ; anthers free or 
connate, £-celled, introrse. Ovary usually sunk in the disk, £• — 6-celled; 
ovules £, rarely 1, in each cell, ascending, anatropous; raphe ventral; 
G 
