458 SCIENCE PROGRESS. 



species of Cytinus previously known, two inhabit Mexico, 

 one the Mediterranean region, and one South Africa, thus 

 offering a good example of a genus of widely separated 

 areas. 



Another remarkable discovery is described (34) by 

 Baillon. It is a probable saprophyte {Geosiris aphylla), a 

 member of the Iridese, and the only one at present known 

 that is destitute of chlorophyll. The floral structure of this 

 plant presents no anomalies, but being of a dirty yellow 

 colour, and only about three or four inches high, it easily 

 escapes observation, and so far has been collected by only 

 one person, and in only one locality. 



With regard to palms in Madagascar, expectations have 

 hardly been realised, only about a score of species having 

 been recorded ; although, as Baron says, there is doubtless 

 a larger number in the island. Palms are not easily col- 

 lected, and specimens are troublesome to preserve and 

 carry about ; hence we may expect some augmentation of 

 the number at present known, though it is evident that 

 they are not numerous. From specimens collected by Mr. 

 Baron and preserved at Kew, I am able to add two im- 

 portant genera to Durand and Schinz's enumeration (20), 

 namely, Hyp home and Phoenix; the species being H. cori- 

 acea and P. reclinata, both of which also inhabit continental 

 Africa. The former is a palm of small stature, covering 

 the whole face of the country, according to Baron, in some 

 districts on the western side of the island ; but he is wrong 

 in supposing it to be endemic, as it inhabits Eastern and 

 Central Africa, from Abyssinia to Natal and Cape Colony. 

 Raphia Rujfia is another palm the island possesses in 

 common with continental Africa. Borassus and Elceis, 

 two specially African types, are not known, I believe, to 

 occur in Madagascar ; and the large Asiatic genus Calamus 

 has not hitherto been found in the island, though there 

 is one endemic species in Africa. 



At the time of the publication of the Flora of Mauritius 

 (35) almost nothing was known of the vegetation of 

 the smaller islands and groups of islands, such as the 

 Amirantes, Aldebra, Agalega, Glorioso and others, except 



