77 
The following interesting account is by Schimper, and refers principally to 
Java : 
The most remarkable of these structures appear, as Haberlandt has already stated, on trees of the 
family of Sterculiacese. In my notes I find Sterculia spectabilis, Miq , Firmiana colorata, R.Br., and 
Pterygota Roxburghii, Schott and Endl., as specially remarkable. I have also recorded as worthy of note, 
Dysoxylum mollissimum and D. Kadoya (Meliacew) ; Urostiqma altissimum and Cecropia cyrtostachya 
(Artocarpaceoe) ; Spathodea campanulata (Bignoniacese) ; Vitex timorensis, V. Cofassus, V. leucoxylon 
(Verbenaceae) ; most species of Terminalia (Combretaceoe). No plank-buttresses are possessed by tall 
trees belonging to the families Sapindacese, Apocynacea?, Sapotacese, or to species of Myristica. Many 
species of the latter genus have prop-roots. Brandis mentions plank-buttresses in connexion with Bombax 
malabaricum and species of Vitex, Antiaris, Lager stroemia, Hymenodictyon, Nauclea, and others. 
The plank-buttress is a peculiarity of trees in a tropical climate with abundant rainfall. It is not 
limited to the evergreen rain-forest, for it also occurs in the deciduous monsoon-forest, but is not found in 
less humid districts. The amount of rainfall necessary for its appearance is not yet ascertained. The 
physiological causes of the phenomenon and its significance to the life of the tree are still obscure. 
(Schimper's " Plant Geography," Eng. Edn., p. 304). 
Timber. This is closely allied to ordinary Coach- wood (Ceratopetalum 
apetalum), for which it is sometimes substituted. It is an inferior substitute, but a 
good timber, nevertheless. 
Mr. Robert Kaleski, writing of the Dorrigo, says : 
Similar to Cedar (Cedrela) in size and trunk. Timber very sound though with very deep sapwood. 
Very little known ; durable if protected from weather. Very bad burner if allowed to lie on the ground, 
as the sapwood absorbs much water. It should not be felled with other scrub but left standing and 
burnt down when logging up. Colour of timber light yellow. 
" It resembles "White Beech (Gmelina) in colour, but softer, and has a more 
open grain." (N. Stewart, Glen Innes.) 
" Is cut up for boat planks and housebuilding timber. It cuts easily." 
(A. Murphy, Gosford.) 
"A leading coachbuilder here thinks it would be suitable for some parts of 
coachbuilding." (N. Stewart, Glen Innes.) 
" A Bellingen coachbuilder used a quantity of it for coachbuilding purposes 
and was much impressed with it at the time. He now informs me, however, that 
he finds it subject to dry-rot when unvarnished." (E. H. F. Swain.) 
" For butter-boxes I would think it an excellent timber. Good colour, light, 
and apparently free from any unpleasant odour. Enormous quantities could be 
obtained at Dorrigo and elsewhere." (T. H. Wilshire, Grafton.) 
" Good for fruit-cases ; is exceedingly light and is a very good substitute for 
deal." (Late A. E. Stopford.) 
Exudation. The following report was made on a specimen collected by 
Mr. W. Baeuerlen at Evans' River, near the Richmond River : 
This exudation has the appearance of kino.* When treated with alcohol the greater portion of 
the tannic acid goes into solution. This tannin gives a brownish-green colour with ferric chloride, when a 
*A numlier of our Eucalyptus and other astringent exudations of variable composition have been called " kinos," 
because of their resemblance, more or less strong, to the astringent exudation of Plerocarputt marsupium, known in 
medicine as " kino." The use of the term is convenient, and is used in these papers " without prejudice." It seems to 
us quite unnecessary, at present, to coin another term for astringent exudations whose composition is not precisely 
identical with that of the original kino : we also look upon it as undesirable, until very many more have been examined, 
and before those who lay stress upon nomenclature of this kind are in a position to select a suitable term or terms, 
