358 LETTER FROM MR. MACGILLIVRAY. 



quired. The French so-called "Missionaries," who have a saw-mill 

 here, occupy a great part of their time in preparing plank of this tree 

 for exportation. Although the profusion of seedlings on Observation 

 Island would lead one to suppose that cones are abundantly produced, 

 yet one of the only two Pines upon the island bearing fruit when cut 

 down, afforded no more than three small cones, although thei*e were 

 male catkins in abundance. It is monoecious, as E. excelsa also cer- 

 tainly is, although I recollect having seen the latter described as dioe- 

 cious. I forgot to mention in its proper place, that in the very young 

 E. CooHi, the four linear cotyledonous leaves are arranged in pairs, 

 while in E. exceUa they are equidistant. A Pandanns, like P. pedun- 

 culata^ is common ; and mats, bags, and baskets of various kinds, are 

 made from the young leaves. The Cocoanut-tree, with its multifarious 

 uses, is the solitary representative of the Palms ; and a veiy fine, wide- 

 spreading, small-leaved Ekm is, next to the Pine, the most striking and 



• ? >j 



■ 



or 

 n 



ornamental tree upon the island. The entrance to " King Jemmie's 

 palace is through one of these trees, a natural hole in the arched roots 

 of which, having been artificially widened, now presents the appearance 

 of a Gothic arch. Of OrcUdem I observed five species : one, a Dendro- 

 Hum, is found on rocks and dead branches of trees; and two of the 

 others are tall, handsome white- and purple-flowered plants, growin 

 among the Pern. Of plants which have probably been introduced, in 

 addition to those which are regularly cultivated, I may mention the 

 Bread-fruit tree, the Papaw, Indian corn, and the Castor-oil plant ; but 

 the fruit of the first two does not seem to be held in much esteem. As 

 Cynthia Cardui is among insects, from my finding it almost everywhere, 

 in whatever part of the earth I put my foot, so among plants is Sonchts 

 oleraceuSy which is a wxed all over the Isle of Pines, and is commonly 

 eaten by the natives, stem and leaves, uncooked. The only other bota- 

 nical fact which I shall allude to here is the occurrence of two Protea- 

 ceous shrubs* near the summit of the Peak (885 feet). One of these 

 appears to be certainly, and the other possibly, a Grevillea, an impor- 

 tant fact in botanical geography, for this genus is regarded as being ex- 



There are two highly interesting and new Proteaceous plants. One, the Grevil- 

 lea, may be thus defined: — 



1. GreviUca GriUivrayi, Hook, ; frutex humilis, ramis robustis junioribus anreo-seri- 

 ceis, foliis coriaceis oblongis obtusis vel retusis brevi-mucronatis oblique penniner- 

 viis reticulatim veuulosis marginibus rcciu-vis inferne in petiolom brevem attenu- 

 atls supra glabris &ubtus sericeis, racemis niultifloris oblongis obtiisis patentibus 

 brevi-pedunculatis e ramis novcllis tcrminalibus vix follosis albo-serireia. nedon- 



