REPOET ON THE BOTANY OF THE ATLANTIC ISLANDS. 65 



GERANIACEiE. 



Pelargonium cotyledonis, L'Heritier. 



Pelargonium cotyledonis, L'Heritier, Geraniol., t. 27; Ait., Hort. Kew., ed. 1, ii. p. 428; Willd., Sp. 



PL, iii. p. 674 ; DC, Prodr., i. p. 655 ; Melliss, St Hel., p. 250, t. 30. 

 Geranium cotyledonis, Linn., Mant., p. 569; Andrews, Geran., cum icone. 

 Iso]ii:taJum ciifi/l,-it<ii,in, Sweet, Goran., t. 126. 

 Erodium sempcrvivum, Eoxb. in Beatson's St Helena Tracts, p. 308. 



St Helena. — Endemic. Cole's Rock — Burchell, 129. 



" Old Father live for ever " is the name applied to this plant by the islanders, in 

 consequence of its power of retaining vitality for months without soil or water. 



It was introduced into this country by Mr John Bush in 17G5, and was cultivated in 

 several gardens for many years, flowering freely, in some places at least. In a wild state 

 it very rarely flowers, a few flowers collected by Burchell being the only ones we have 

 seen. " It is now very rare, but still to be found at altitudes of 50 to 1000 feet clinging 

 to the barren, exposed, rocky cliffs overhanging the sea-coast on the windward side of the 

 island, where there is least soil and moisture. The colour of its stem is a chocolate-brown, 

 considerably mottled by the grey lichens growing upon it, and so nearly resembles the 

 dark basaltic cliffs and soil upon which it is found, that at the time when the plant is 

 leafless it is most difficult to distinguish it from the rock upon which it grows. It seems 

 to seek out the most inaccessible places, where there is no other vegetation — indeed, where 

 nothing else would grow ; and not without some risk are plants of it to be obtained. 

 It throws out its leaves and white blossoms about May and June, after the summer rains ; 

 these soon die away again, leaving the plant for the most part of the year very much like 

 a knotted mass of old fir-tree roots. It is now chiefly found on Sandy Bay Barn and Man 

 and Horse Cliffs ; and the only places inland where it occurs, and that very rarely, are 

 Cole's Bock, in Sandy Bay, and at the eastern side of High Knoll — altitude, 1875 feet." — 

 Melliss. 



Linnaeus described this plant in 1771, probably from cultivated specimens, and recorded 

 it from the Cape of Good Hope, adding, " Non clum mild floruit." 



Oxalis corniculata, Linn. 



Oxalis corniculata, Linn., Sp. PI. ed. 1, p. 435 ; DC, Prodr., i. p. 692 ; Melliss, St Hel., p. 252. 



St Helena. — Introduced? Abundant all over the island — Burchell; Hooker; 

 Melliss. 



This plant is now universally spread, excepting in the colder regions ; and it is impossible 

 to determine where its presence is due to natural, and where to accidental causes. 

 (bot. chall. exp. — PAET ii. — 1884.) B 9 



