49 
Hancorma speciosa (Mangabeira Rubber) is a slender 
growing tree fairly abundant over nearly all Brazil from 
Pernambuco to Peru. Unlike the Heveas it grows in poor 
soils, and up to an elevation of 5000 feet. In some parts 
of Brazil the latex is diluted with water and as the particles 
of caoutchouc coagulate it is skimmed and dried. At Per- 
nambuco coagulation is obtained by the addition of alum, 
and in Peru — soap-suds. In other parts common salt is 
used for clotting the latex, but with tiny of these methods 
Mangabeira is imperfectly, and in fact, only partially coag- 
ulated and frequently ferments giving off an offensive 
odour, and there is also a heavy loss of weight (from 
40-50%) in washing. There appears to be a fair supply 
of this rubber, valued at 3/1 A against 5/4 for standard 
market price, no doubt it would be much improved if coag- 
ulated by centrifugalising as is done with Castilloa. 
Forsteronia gracilis is a climbing plant native of 
British Guiana, North Brazil, and Venezuela. The rubber 
reported has been fine grade and the cultivation of the 
plant in the West Indies is expected. I would however 
again remark that the cultivation of climbing rubbers has 
not so far met with success. Another species F. floribunda , 
is found in Jamaica and is also said to produce fine grade 
rubber. 
The Indo-Malayan Apocynaceae are well represented 
by the genus Willughbeia* (getali gerip, singarip, getah 
susu, and many other names according to locality). The 
best rubber is obtained from A\ T . firma, formerly common 
in British Malaya, Sumatra, and Borneo. The rubber is 
obtained by ringing the liaue and the latex drops into fold- 
ed palm leaves, or native cups, and is coagulated with alum 
or salt when slightly heated. In this form the rubber is of 
poor quality— very wet, and loses from 40-50% in washing 
and at the present time is worth about 2/9. What is now 
supplied comes principally from Borneo but the output has 
largely diminished from all sources. A few years ago, in 
Malacca and in the F. M. S. getah gerip or Willughbeia (of 
sorts) was used by natives for adulterating getah perclia 
and getah taban. 
Other species are: — IF. coriacea, IF. tenuiflora, and 
IF. flavescens, and the Bornean rubber is a mixture of any 
or all of these, and probably other rubber vines too. None 
of these rubber vines have been successfully cultivated in 
* In Malaya, the Peninsula, Java, Sumatra, and Borneo the generic term 
of gutla or getah is applied to all elastic gums. 
