36 
f ' i2£A> . 
Imperata cylindrica, Cyr. (Graminem.) 
Lalang (Mai.). 
An exeeedingiy abundant grass often covering acres of ground, 
and occurring throughout the Peninsula. It is of little use and is 
considered to be most injurious to cultivation, being supposed to 
impoverish the soil and being very troublesome to eradicate. The 
leaves are employed as thatch, and the rhizomes are used by the 
Chinese as a medicine, and exported to China for the purpose. At 
one time there was a manufactory of beer from the roots in Singa- 
pore, but this has ceased to exist. Attempts have been made to 
use it for paper-making, but without success. 
Spec. 154 Drihd grass, from Malacca. 
154a Thatch, from Malacca. 
Scirpus grossus, Roxb. ( Cyperacem ). 
Mexerong (Mai.). 
A rush about four or five feet tall, growing in rice-fields add 
ditches. After the rice harvest is over this rash comes up in great 
quantities, and is cut down and dried to make mats, baskets, 
bags, &c. 
Spec. 120, 1 20a. The rush as gathered, and the same 
prepared for use, from Larut, Perak. 
Fimbristylis diphylla , Yahl. (Cyperacece.) 
Rumput Purun Bath (Mai.). 
A very common sedge in dry places, attaining the height of 
about a foot, used in making mats, bags, &c. 
Spec. 121 The rash, from Larut, Perak. 
167 Rice basket, from Singapore. 
Scirpus mucronatus, L. ( Cyperacece .) 
Ktjmbah (Mai.), 
A common rush in ponds and ditches throughout the Penin- 
sula, used in mat-making. 
Spec. 124 Kumbah plant, from Larut, Perak. 
Prepared do. 
RATTANS. 
The rattans, which are largely exported from Singapore, are the 
stems of the long climbing pnlms belonging to the genera Kor - 
thalsiciy Plectocomia and Calamus , while under the names of Rotan 
Tikus and Rotan Bird, Flagellaria indica is included as a Rotan 
by the Malays. The various species have all received local Malay 
names, but of many the scientific name is not yet known. The 
rattans are often brought into town by Malays, who have received 
them from the Sakais, who have collected them in the jungles of 
the interior, and though the different kinds are distinguishable 
when cleaned, yet it is impossible in that state to identify them 
