284° QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Ocr., 1898. 
Feonomic Botany. 
INDIGENOUS “RUBBER” PLANT (Excecaria Dallachyana, Baill.). 
By F. MANSON BAILEY, F.L.S., 
Colonial Botanist. 
Tuts small tree, which for years past has enjoyed the reputation of causing the 
deaths of stock, especially from browsing upon the young shoots which spring 
from old stumps on land recently cleared, is now likely to prove of some value 
asa “rubber” producer. A couple of months ago I received a small bottle of 
the milky juice of this tree from Mr. IF. W. Peek, secretary of the Logan 
Farmers’ Association, Ferndale, Loganholme, who stated that “it was very 
abundant, and the sample sent had been obtained by simply tapping the tree 
with a few cuts of a tomahawk.’ To some specimens of this plant in my 
herbarium, which were collected by Mr. Charles Moore, jate Director of the 
Sydney Botanic Gardens, is attached the following note:—“The bark of this 
tree, when cut, exudes a white viscid very poisonous juice in such quantities that 
at least a gallon might be collected in a few minutes from one tree. The juice 
appears to have all the properties of Indiarubber or guttapercha. Of so 
virulent a nature is this when fresh that the aborigines will not even touch it.” 
. Being anxious to have this milky sap tested for “ rubber,’’ I handed the sample 
‘to Mr. J. C. Briinnich, chemist to the Department, and he has kindly furnished 
“me with the report which I attach hereto, 
Excaecaria Dallachyana, Baillon, the scrub poison-tree, is a small, rather 
graceful tree, which is frequently met with in the coast and river scrubs. 
The foliage is of a dark-green, and often dense. Leaves from 1 to 8 inches 
long, ovate-lanceolate or oval, obtusely acuminate, bluntly toothed on the 
margins. he flowers small, and, as will be seen by the accompanying plate, 
the sexes are separated. I am glad of the opportunity of again drawing 
attention to the fact of there being rubber-bearing plants among the Queens- 
‘land vegetation, several of which might probably be worthy of cultivation for 
‘that product. If the rubber from the plant in question proves of sufficient 
value, it would be one of the easiest to obtain and cultivate either north or 
south of Brisbane. 
We have two other species of the genus Excecaria indigenous to Queens- 
land—namely, £. Agallocha, Linn. (the River Poison-tree or Milky Mangrove), 
and H. parvifolia, Muell. Arg. (the guttapercha of the Gulf country). The 
former is also a native of India, where, according to Drury, the milky juice 
which it exudes is called “ Tiger’s Milk.” he natives are afraid almost to 
cut the branches for fear of the milk blistering the skin, or causing blindness 
‘should it by chance get into the eyes. A good kind of caoutchouc may also 
_be prepared from the milk. 
The other species—2Z. parvifolia—is abundant about the Gulf of Carpen- 
taria, and, besides yielding a “rubber,” furnishes a most beautiful wood suitabie 
for the cabinetmaker. 
' Letrer From Mr. J. C. Briinnicu, 
To F. M. Bailey, Colonial Botanist. 
Sin,—I have the honour to send you herewith the result of the analysis of the 
milk of Hxeecuria Dallachyana which I received from you. JI also send you a small 
quantity of the caoutchouc-resin obtained from the milk. I could not detect any 
toxic principles. 
I have, &e., 
J. C. BRUNNICH, Agricultural Chemist. 
Gatton, 2nd September, 1898. 
