286 ` REV. B. BARON ON THE 
are the following :— Hyphane coriacea, a small, probably endemie, 
fan-palm, which is exceedingly abundant, in some places covering 
the whole face of the country. The natives call it * Satramira," 
and use its fruit very largely in the manufacture of ram. Another 
fan-palm (probably a species of Hyphene or Latania), called 
* Satrambe,” is also extremely common. It is a much taller tree 
than “ Satramira.” The Sakalava often use its leaves with graceful 
effect in building their huts. Another fan-palm, a much larger one 
than the two former, though not so common, is that known as 
“ Befelatanana" (=the big hand); it is possibly Bismarckia nobilis. 
None of these fan-palms occur in either the Central or Eastern 
Region, except in places where they have been planted. The 
* Sakoana " (Sclerocarya caffra) is also one of the commonest trees 
in the Region. It possesses an acrid edible fruit used, I believe, by 
the natives in the manufacture of rum. Acridocarpus excelsus 
is also widely spread. It has long, slender, straggling branches, 
and looks as though it had but recently given up the habit of 
climbing, common to so many members of its family. Its native 
name is * Mavoravina" or “ Kirajy." Albizzia Lebbek, which 
the Malagasy call * Bonara" (— Bois Noir), Brehmia spinosa, 
Urena lobata, Erythroxylon platyclados, called by the natives 
“ Tampia " or * Tampiana,” and Phyllanthus Casticum must also 
be ranked among the most common shrubs and trees of this part 
of the island. All the above live in the open country, and from 
their abundance and wide distribution give a distinct charaeter 
to the general vegetable physiognomy of the Region. 
Inhabiting this part of the island also is the Zriodendron anfrac- 
tuosum, known as “ Hamba ” or ** Moraingy.” It is a somewhat 
strange-looking tall shrub, a member of the family Malvaces. 
The natives use the hairs from the seeds in stuffing cushions; 
if, however, they get into the eye, they are said to injure it, if 
not actually to induce blindness. On the west coast a species of 
Baobab (Adansonia madagascariensis) is plentiful. Of this tree 
M. Baillon says :—“ Son écorce est textile; elle sert à couvrir 
les cases et à faire des cordages. Le bois est tendre et spon- 
gieux; à l'époque de la végétation active, il fournit par incisions 
une seve qui n'est guère que de l'eau et qui est bonne à boire. 
Il y a, à Mouroundava, des maisons de commerce qui.exploitent 
en grand les semences. M. Grevé ne dit pas quel usage on en 
fait; mais je suppose qu'il doit s'agir d'une extraction d'huile. 
Les fruits renferment outre les semences, une pulpe comestible, 
