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Dendrocalamus giganteus, Mimro.
Malacca and the adjacent islands. Habit of Gigantochloa
maxima, therefore one of the mightiest of all Bamboos.
Dendrocalamus strictus, Nees.
India, particularly Bengal. Grows on drier ground than
Bambusa arundinacea. I t is also smaller and quite straight.
Its strength and solidity render it fit for many select technic
purposes.
Desmodium triflorum, Candolle.
In tropical regions of Asia, Africa and America. A densely
matted perennial herb, alluded to on this occasion as recommendable
for places too hot for ordinary clover and as
representing a large genus of plants, many of which may
prove of pastoral value. Dr. Boxburgb already stated that
it helps to form the most beautiful tu rf in India, and that
cattle are very fond of this herb. Colonel Drury informs ns, that
it is springing up in all soils and situations, supplying there
the place of Trifolium and Medicago.
Digitalis purpurea, Linné.
Greater part of Europe. The Foxglove. A biennial and
exceedingly beautiful herb of great medicmal value, easily
raised. Chemical principles : Digitalin, Digitaletin and three
peculiar acids.
Dioscorea aculeata, Linné.*
The Kaawi-Yam. India, Cochin-China, South Sea Islands.
Stem prickly, as the name implies, not angular. Leaves
alternate, undivided. I t ripens later than the following
species, and requires no reeds for staking. I t is propagated
from small tubers. This Yam is of a sweetish taste, and the
late Dr. Seemann regarded it as one of the finest esculent
roots of the globe. A variety of a bluish liue, cultivated hr
Central America (for instance at Caracas), is of very delicious
taste. In the warmest parts of our colony this and the
following species are likely to come to perfection.
Dioscorea alata, Linné.*
The Uvi-Yam. India and South Sea Islands. The stems
are four-angled and not prickly. The tubers, of which there
are many varieties, will attain under favourable circumstances
a length of eight feet, and the prodigious weight of one
hundred pounds! This species, and the preceding one, are
the two principal kinds cultivated in tropical countries.
D. alata is in culture supported by reeds. I t is propagated
from pieces of the old root, and comes in warm climes to
perfection in about seven months. The tubers may be baked
or boiled. I t is this species, which has been successfully
r
FOR VICTORIAN INDUSTRIAL CULTURE. 71
cultivated in New Zealand, and also in the Southern States
of North America.
Dioscorea globosa, Eoxburgh.
India. Eoxburgh states this to be the most esteemed Yam
in Bengal.
Dioscorea hastifolia, Nees.
Extra-tropic Western Australia, at least as far south as 32°.
I t is evidently one of the hardiest of the Yams, and on that
account deserves particularly to he drawn into culture. The
tubers are largely consumed by tbe aborigines for food; it is
the only plant on which they bestow any kind of cultivation,
crude as it is.
Dioscorea Japónica, Thunberg.* (D. Batatas, Decaisne.)
The hardy Chinese and Japan Yam. This species, which is
not prickly, has been cultivated some years in our Botanic
Garden. The material here for comparison is not complete,
but seems to indicate, that D. transversa, E. Br., and D.
punctata, E. Br., are both referable to D. Japónica. If this
assumption should prove correct, then we have this Yam
along the coast tracts of North and East Australia as far
south as latitude 33°. In Australia we find the wild root of
. good taste.
Dioscorea nummularia, Lamarck.
The Tivoli Yam. Continental and Insular India, also South
Sea Islands. A high climbing prickly species, with opposite
leaves.^ Boots cylindrical, as thick as an arm; their taste
exceedingly good.
Dioscorea oppositifolia, Linné.
India and China. Not prickly. One of the edible Yams.
Dioscorea pentaphylla, Linné.
Continental and Insular India, also South Sea Islands. Likewise
a good Yam. A prickly species, with alternate divided
leaves.
Dioscorea purpurea, Eoxburgh.
India. In Bengal considered next best to D. alata.
Dioscorea quinqueloba, Thunberg.
Japan, and there one of several Yam-plants with edible
tnbers.^ Among numerous congeners are mentioned as
providing likewise root-vegetables : D. piperifolia (Humboldt)
from Quito, D. esurientum (Fenzl) from Guatemala, D.
tuberosa and D. conferta (Yelloza) from South Brazil, D.
Cayennensis (Lamarck) from tropical South America, D.
triphylla (Linné) from tropical Asia, D. deltoidea (Wallich)
from Nepal. Of these and many other species the relative
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