of the Keeling Islands. 347 



summa vagina exserta, subincurvantes, 3 — 4 poll, longre ; rachi teveti, 

 vel paululum compressa (fig. 1.) acuta, interne spongiosa, vix lineam 

 lat&, pro insertione spicularum utrinque excavata. Spicula) per binas 

 (fig. I.) (vel inferne per ternas), quarum una sessilis, altera pedicellata 

 (figs. 2, 3.), ovato-oblongse, linear dimidio longiores, biflorse, flore in- 

 feriori unipaleaceo (figs. 6, 7.) neutro ; superiori hermaphrodito (fig. 8.) 

 bipaleaceo. Glumae duse subaequales (figs. 4, 5.) concavee, enerviae, 

 membranacese, glabrae, spicula quadruplo breviores, ovato-ellipticae, ex- 

 terioris (fig. 4.) apice sub-truncato eroso. Flos neuter h palea unica 

 ovato-elliptica, dorso plana, (fig. 6.), nervis 3 prominulis, medio sub- 

 carinante excurrente acuta, glaber, coriaceus, florem hermaphroditum 

 unilateraliter amplectens et paululum superans. Flos hermaphroditus 

 (fig. 8.) ovato-oblongus, sub-acuminatus, externe convexus, interne pla- 

 niusculus, pallidus, lsevis, glaber, paleis duobus, quarum inferior (fig. 9.) 

 oblongo-ovata, acuta, concava, trinervis, superiorem amplectens, mem- 

 branaceo-chartacea ; superior (figs. 10, 11.) ovata, binervis, concava, 

 dorso (fig. 10.) planiuscula, marginibus inferne inflexis. Squamulce 

 (lodiculae) (fig. 12.) duse anticae, collaterales, truncato-lineares, ovario 

 longiores. Stamina 3, antheris (fig. 13.) lineari-oblongis. Ovarium 

 (fig. 15.) oblongum, apice in stylos duos elongatos attenuatum. Stig- 

 mata stylis duplo breviora, plumosa, pilis brevioribus, simplicibus, hya- 

 linis. 



18. Lepturus repens. — * Occurs in salt places, in the inte- 

 rior of the islands." — C. Darwin. 



19. Cocos nucifera. — Although no specimen of this was 

 brought home, yet as the Keelings are also called Cocos 

 Islands, and as they have been recently colonized for the ex- 

 press purpose of trading in the oil and fruit, we may safely 

 assert it to be abundant. 



20. Hypnum rufescens. — The specimens were submitted to 

 Dr. Hooker, who remarks, " In a very indifferent state cer- 

 tainly, but I think it may safely be referred to H. rufescens. 

 Hooker and Arnott, of Bot. of Beechy's Voyage, page 76, t. 

 19. It is in a younger and greener state." 



21. Polyporus lucidus. — These were sent to Mr. Berkeley 

 with a query, whether they might not be P. australis; to which 

 he replies, " I have no doubt your fungus is P. lucidus. I have 

 before me specimens of precisely the same thing from Mau- 

 ritius, together with a distinct variety resembling, I should 

 imagine, P. australis. That, however, is a perennial species, 

 and the substance is very hard ; whereas your plant is at most 

 biennial, and the substance soft and spongy." 



