FLORA OF THE ISLAND OF HONGKONG. 359 
plianthos divergens, with its trailing branches, dark, glossy foliage, and curious, reddish-yel- 
low, caudate corollas, two pretty Uvaria, IleUcteres angmtifolia, Desmodum triquefrmn, Di~ 
cerma elegans (to which may be referred, without doubt, the JSsch^noviene heterophylla of 
Loureiro, hitherto undetermined), and Melanthesa CUmnm are almost equally common. 
AJpinia mifans elevates its gorgeous racemes of flowers, of a light flesh-colour, streaked with 
the intensest gold and scarlet, by the watcrcom'ses ; Ameletia suhspicata in sonic parts clothes 
the flat, moist, meadow-like turf with so thick a verdure, that, when in blossom, it looks, at 
a distance, like a field of thyme ; the silvery foliage of the graceful Hhis mcccdanemn flutters 
in the breeze, Smilase 'glabra straggles over the rocks, Lygodium Japonicum, and the leafless, 
parasitical, intertangled Cassyta fiUformis climb over all shrubs indiscriminately, the latter 
perfidiously abstracting the sap, with its cup-like suckers, from those plants from which it 
claims support ; and the abundant, pectinated Gleichenia dichotoma, with Pleris memoraVis, 
Adiantum anmnum, Nephrolepis tuberosa, and other Ferns, spring up among the herbage. 
The most noticeable feature in the Flora of this Island is the mixture of Asiatic and 
European forms, especially conspicuous in the vernal vegetation of the hill summits ; in this 
respect it appears to approach closely to that of Cashmere. Its most obvious relationship is 
with Japan. Its connection with that of Australia is very slight, being merely indicated by 
such genera as Stylidmm and Pldhjdrum, the last of which is exclusively confined to Cochin 
China, the south of China, and parts of New Holland. Tropical plants, identical with, or 
intimately allied to, those of the Indian peninsula and the Malayan Archipelago, are not 
unfrequent. Anthurmm, Cldrita, ^schynanthus, Sponia, Piper arcuatuniy etc. etc., may serve 
as examples, but they by no means represent the normal character of the Flora, which is 
perfectly sui generis. The only three indigenous Palms are a dwarf, stemless Phccfiix, a 
Zalacca, and a Bhapis. Cocos nvcifera is occasionally planted, but does not thrive, the 
island of Hainan being its most easterly station in these seas, and even there it is said to 
perfect fruit sparingly. 
Amongst cultivated plants the Sweet Potato {Batatas edulis) holds the first rank ; it is 
very largely consumed by the Chinese, even its boiled leaves being used as greens : beside 
this we must notice as edible vegetables, Yams {Dioscorea, sp.) and Colocasia, several 
species of Sinapis and Brassica, Basdla ruhra (employed as a substitute for Spinach), va- 
rious species of Dolichos Soja and Fkaseolus, Egg-apples {Solatium Melongena), our common 
Potato and Pea, Water-melons and other Cucurhitacea, Ground-nuts {AracJiis hypogea), a 
little Barley, grown exclusively for pearling, Cassava {Manihot utilissima). Allium fat ulosum, 
Kice, Millet, Setaria, Sugar-cane, Maize, AhehnoscJius longifoUus, the immature viscid cap- 
sules of which arc brought to table; and. as fruit, Pomeloes {Citrus Bccumana), Oranges, 
Loquats {Eriohotrya Japonica), Papaws {Carica Papaya), Wangpis {Cookia punctata), Nephe- 
Uiini LitcJii and N. Longna, Mangoes, Bananas, Pine-apples, Averrhoa Caravihola, Guavas, 
and Jambosa Malaccensis. The farinaceous fruits of Trapa biconiis, those of Canarium 
album, preserved with salt, and much' resembling an olive in flavour, the crimson papillose 
