of the Keeling Islands. 34 7 



sumrna vagina, exserta, subincurvantes, 3 — 4 poll, longae; radii tereti, 

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

 lata, pro insertione spicularum utrinque excavata. Spiculas per binas 

 (fig. 1.) (vel inferne per ternas), quarum una sessilis, altera pedicellata 

 (figs. 2, 3.), ovato-oblongge, lineae dimidio longiores, biflorae, flore in- 

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

 bipaleaceo. Glumae duae subsequales (figs. 4, 5.) concavae, enerviae, 

 membranacege, glabrae, spicula quadruple breviores, ovato-ellipticae, ex- 

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

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

 carinante excurrente acuta, glaber, coriaceus, florem liermapbroditum 

 unilateraliter amplectens et paululum superans. Flos hermapbroditus 

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

 niusculus, pallidus, laevis, 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. Squamulse 

 (lodiculae) (fig. 12.) 'duae 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/ 5 — 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.' 



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