VOYAGE TO THK NIGER. 627 



frutescent Euphorbia of the island) commonly 2 or 3 feet 

 high ; but sometimes a small tree, with twenty or thirty 

 leaves amongst the blossoms at the ends of its branches, it 

 is characteristic of the mountains and gives an agreeable 

 verdure to the clefts, abounding in the upper valleys and 

 reaching to the very top of Monte Verte. It appears to be 

 the same found by Brunner at St. Jago, and mentioned as 

 Euph. genistoides ? I think it is an undescribed species. A 

 spreading, creeping, branching, completely leafless Ascle- 

 piadea, occurred frequently, at 500 feet, on small flats, or 

 pendent from rocks, sometimes with white flowers at the 

 tips of the branches. A handsome Statice, a Campanula 

 (related to dulcis) a Labiata with red flowers and coriaceous 

 leaves, {Lavandula ?), a Sida, which I am inclined to think 

 new, with a Linaria, Borago Africana, Echium, Tribulus 

 terrestris, Achyranthes aspera, Lotus sp., half a dozen Com- 

 posites, a shrubby Urtica, a flowerless Sempervivum, and a 

 few Graminea and Cyperacea, formed in this region a 

 pleasant spectacle, such as one would hardly have expected 

 on an apparently desert island. The general aspect of vege- 

 tation was very European, enhanced by Samolus Valerandi, 

 Nasturtium officinale, and Plantago minor ? To these situations 

 were some cultivated plants ; but they looked, at least just 

 now, very poorly ; Beans (especially Lablab) Maize, Cucum- 

 bers, a few Bananas, Cotton, Ricinus, and Batatas, seemed 

 to be the chief, but hardly in sufficient quantity for 

 the six or seven hundred inhabitants. The Bananas fur- 

 nished to us, were said to come from St. Antonio. There 

 were also a few Sycamore figs, and Jatropha Curcas; there are 

 said to be some Guavas and Papayas. A creeping Convol- 

 vulus is much grown, and in reply to my repeated inquiries, 

 * was always assured that it was used as thatch. 



In Cryptogamia this island is proportionally still poorer. 

 Four ferns, all at above 400 feet, a few Conferva, perhaps 

 three or four Mosses, on the top of Monte Verte, all without 

 fructification, and Alga on the sea coast very sparingly. 

 Of insects, I found chiefly flies and grasshoppers j few 



