REPORT ON THE BOTANY OF THE SOUTH-EASTERN MOLUCCAS. 113 



populnea, Corckorus olitorius, Tribvlus cistoides, Suriana maritima,Ximeiiia americana, 

 Dodonaia viscosa, Tephrosia purpurea, Sesbania aculeata, Desmodium umbellatum, Abrus 

 prccatorius, Canavalia obtusifolia, Vignalutea, Sophoratomentosa, Ccescdpiniabonducella, 

 Cassia sophera, Entada scandens, Acacia farnesiana, Gyrocarpus jacquini, Luffa 

 CBgyptiaca, Lagenaria vulgaris, Sesuvium portulacastrum, Mbrinda citrifolia, Adeno- 

 stemma viscosum, Ageratum conyzoides, Bidens p>ilosa, Asclepias curassavica, Ipomcea 

 biloba, Avicennia officinalis, Boerhaavia diffusa, Pisonia aculeata, Amarantus viridis, 

 Achyranthes aspera, Scdsola kali, Cassytha fliformis, Euphorbia pilulifera, Ricinus com- 

 munis, Casuarina eqidsetifolia, Commelina nudiflora, Cocos nucifera, Cyperus ferax, 

 Panicum sanguinale, Setaria verticillata, Imperata arundinacea, and Eleusine indica. 



Three of these 47 also occur in the south of Europe, namely, Poriidaca oleracea, Ama- 

 rantus viridis, and Salsola kali. 



The present general diffusion of these plants is due to a variety of causes, of which 

 there are two primary ones, namely, cultivation and natural dispersion ; the latter includ- 

 ing every agency, except that arising out of the direct or indirect interference of man. 

 The plants owing their wide range to cultivation fall into two categories — the cultivated 

 plants, and those associated with them and commonly designated weeds. Lagenaria 

 vulgaris and Canavalia obtusifolia are examples of the former category, and Amarantus 

 viridis and Euphorbia pilulifera of the latter ; while Suriana maritima and Gyrocarpus 

 jacquini have perhaps as certainly been dispersed independently of the operations of man. 

 Further particulars of the distribution and probable means of dispersion are given under 

 many of the species in the body of the work. 



The following lists of plants from remote oceanic islands show more clearly the cos- 

 mopolitan character of the littoral flora of the South-eastern Moluccas than mere words 

 can do. 



List of Plants from the Keeling or Cocos Islands, collected by the late C. Darwin in 1836. 



Ilihidcus tiliaceus, Linn. 

 Triumfetta procumbens, Forst. 

 Pemphis acidida, Forst. 

 Poriidaca oleracea, Linn. 

 C&salpinia bonduc, Roxb. 

 Acacia farnesiana, Linn. 1 

 Sccevola kcenigii, Vahl. 

 Guettarda speewsa, Linn. 

 Cordia orientalis, R. Br. 

 Tournefartia argentea, Linn. 



The Keelina; or Cocos Islands are situated in the Indian Ocean in about 12° S. 



latitude, and 98° E. longitude. They are low coral formations, and the largest is about 



five miles long, and a quarter of a mile broad, and the group is about six hundred miles 



distant from the nearest laud. The above list was published 1 by the late Professor 



1 Ann. Nat. Hist., i. p. 337, 1838. 

 (bot. CHALL. EXP. — PART III. — 18S5.) C 15 



Dicliptera burmanni, Xees? 

 Ochrosia parviflora, Hensl. 

 Boerliaavia diffusa, AVilld. 

 Achyranthes argentea, Lam.? 

 Urera gaudichaudiana, Hensl. 

 Panicum sanguinale, Linn. ? 

 Stenot'i i>li nun lepturoide, Hensl. 

 Lepturus repens, Forst. 

 Cocos nucifera, Linn. 



