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BOTANY OF FERNANDO NOBONHA. 63 



very large specimens grow on the banks of the stream. On the 

 cliffs, as at the Peak, and on very exposed spots, as at Eat Island, 

 it is of much lower growth, and forms a shrub creeping over the 

 rocks by means of its aerial roots, or springing from clefts. Small 

 bushes of it grow in the highest and most inaccessible parts of 

 the Peak, and on some of the smallest islands, as the Dois Irmaos. 

 The roots are very long, slender and tough, of a light brown colour ; 

 and are used to make whips for chastising the convicts. The 

 bark and leaves, when broken, emit much milk, are very sticky, 

 and apparently contain a considerable amount of caoutchouc; 

 this milk is used as bird-lime. The leaves are glossy dark green, 

 and much infested by galls. The figs are rounded, and either 

 green with purple spots, or entirely purple ; they are about an 

 inch through when ripe, and are sweet and of somewhat pleasant 

 flavour ; at their base are three short oval bracts- The bracts 

 at the mouth of the receptacle are numerous, nearly all being 

 inverted, the two everted ones forming a short conical umbo. 

 The flowers of both sexes are irregularly mixed, the females being 

 most numerous. Among them are many laciniate bracts ; and 

 each flower is subtended by two small bracteoles. Many of the 

 flowers are supported on a stalk, others are quite sessile. The 

 perianth seems to be similar in both the male and female flowers, 

 consisting of three short overlapping oval blunt lobes. The style 

 is short and bifld. 



The plant is called " Gamaleira " here, as are other species of 

 the genus in Brazil. 



Forst 



Several Breadfruit-trees occur in the gardens and in various 

 spots in the village. On one tree a male spike was found at the 

 base of which were female flowers. 



Fletjeta jestuans, Qaudich. in Freyc. Voy. Bof. p. 497. 

 "Ortica aestuans, L. Sp. PI. ed. 2, p. 1397 ; Jacq. Sort. Schcenbr. 

 iii. t. 388. 



Thi 8 plant occurred sparingly on Tobacco Point, growing among 

 Philoxerus vermicularis and Canavalia, and also by the lake. 

 Specimens obtained in the latter locality were slightly stinging, 

 and had very widely spreading panicles. It appears to be very 

 variable; and specimens obtained at Pernambuco, where it is 











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