634 JOURNAL OF THE 



of about a hundred specimens, at the risk of losing every 

 thing by the wet. Many plants, especially the monocotyle- 

 donous, were not yet in flower; and I regretted this most 

 especially in the case of the numerous parasitical Orchidea. 

 The shore is flat and sandy, and the sand has drifted so far 

 inland, that I never got beyond it. There were no forests, 

 only bushes, intermingled with isolated high trees, which I 

 could not determine, for they were all without blossom or 

 fruit. The African Bombaw appeared amongst them, and I 

 found the same Spondias as at Sierra Leone, forming a con- 

 siderable tree, respecting which I feel doubtful whether it be 

 identical with S. Myrobalanus. The pride of this coast is the 

 Elais, often growing in clumps of twelve or more, exhibiting 

 under different circumstances a different habit, and giving a 

 considerable variety of aspect to the country. This Palm is 

 of generally moderate height, and constitutes with various 

 Fici, the chief masses of wood. The underwood consists of 

 close-growing shrubby Rubiacem, with shining leaves, inter- 

 mingled with Gloriosa superba, Cissi, Leguminosce, Banisterta, 

 as creepers, leaving hardly room for Melastoma and other 

 low plants that peep through with their fine blossoms. • It is 

 a very interesting sight, that of a few Oil Palms growing in 

 a clump, the ribs of the lower leaves still adhering to the 

 stems, which are clothed with a fresh verdure of parasitical 

 Ferns and Orchidacece, whilst other parasites, such as Ferns, 

 Pothos, Anonee, Commelinee, small Rubiacea and Leguminosa, 

 choose the airy shelter of the foliage for their habitation. 

 Of single plants one might specify Sarcocephalus, which 

 occurs frequently, the same Phyllanthus as in Liberia, 

 Schmidelia Africana, a genus of Apocyneae, apparently new 

 and near Tabernamontana, remarkable for its double fruit as 

 large as a child's head, the seeds nestling in the almost woody 

 pulp, wild Sugar-cane, not in blossom, Conocaipus erectvs, 

 var. /3. a small shrub, a probably new Cassytha, Scavola 

 (really different from S. Lobelia ?), Indigoferce, sp. Canna, sp. 

 Cassia occidentals (cult d .), Boreria Kohautiana, &c. The oty- 

 osanthes forms a close jungle, with its erect and niuc 



