







62 . MB. H. N. BIDLEY ON THE 



* 



Althougli the seeds are so acrid and poisonous, yet I am in- 

 formed by the Director of the island that the small birds eat them 

 largely, and pass them unchanged. " So when it rains we meet 





with 



cultivated. Thus it is well 



seen that such birds should be very well able to cover in a 

 short time the whole island with burra-trees, as it was once, if it 

 was not inhabited any more." This accounts for the diffusion of 



into 



TJRTICACEiE. 



><?r in Hook. Ic. , 



Semsl 



This Fig-tree, peculiar to this group of islands, was partially 

 described and figured in the above-mentioned place from material 

 obtained by Moseley. The description is, however, incomplete 

 from poverty of material; and therefore I think it well to 

 redescribe it. 



Arbor 



griseo 



valde lacticifero. Folia coriacea atro-viridia nitida, elliptica 

 obovata obtusa, 4-9 uncias longa, 2|~4 uncias lata, petiolus 

 incrassatus, £-1 unciam longus. Receptacula globosa unciam in 

 diametro, viridia, maculis purpureis vel omnino purpurea, bracteis 

 inf erioribus 3, ovatis obtusis. Flores masculi et feminei undique 

 commixti in receptaculo. Bracteae lanceolate dentatse, floribus 

 sequalibus. Flores masculi quam feminei pauciores, stipitati vel 

 sessiles, bracteolis duabus ad basin. Periauthium trilobum, lobi 

 ovati obtusi. Stamen unicum, filamento crasso. Anthera ter- 

 minali plana, oblonga, loculis approximatis. Flos femineus stipi- 

 tatus vel sessilis, bracteolis 2 lanceolatis integris iis masculi 

 similes. Perianthium trilobum, lobis ovatis obtusis. Stylus 

 gracilis breviter e perianthii extrorsus bifidus, ramis brevibus 

 recurvis. Ovarium ellipticum. Fructus ovalis. Semen ovale, 

 1 mm. longum, album. 



Rat Island, Sella Giueta, main islaud. 



This tree has been so extensively cut down, that but few of any 

 size are now left in the islands. It attains its greatest dimen- 



* ; but does not grow in the thickest part of 

 the more open spots. The finest trees now in 

 e garden of the Director's house, where four 



in 



in 



are 





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