580 A. E. Verrill—The Bermuda Islands. 



Tassel Plant. (Suriana maritima L.) 



A peculiar shrub, 4 to 5 feet high, belonging to the Simarubeae, 

 found on the tropical coasts of America and most other countries. 

 The leaves are crowded distally, downy and fleshy, small, linear- 

 spatulate; flowers yellow, in small clusters or short racemes. Hun- 

 gry Bay, and other places on the south shores. 



Dogwood ; Broom. (Dodonaia viscosa L.) 



On the coasts of most tropical countries in dry barren places. 

 Belongs to the soap-berry family. A shrub 6-8 feet high, witli 

 oblong or obovate, entire, viscid leaves, and short racemes of apetal- 

 ous flowers. 



The Soap-berry Tree (see previous list) is a true sea-side species. 



Nicker Tree. ( Ccesalpina bonducella L.= Guilandina bondncella Lef.) 

 A trailing, prickly, leguminous sea-side shrub found on most tropical 

 coasts, arising from large, hard, lead-colored floating seeds.* Wal- 

 singham, rare. ' 



Bay Bean ; Sea-side Beau. ( Canavalia obtusifolia DC.) 



A native sea-side vine, with rose-colored flowers, found on most 

 tropical shores, its brown seeds retaining vitality after long immer- 

 sion in the sea. The leaves are trifoliate. The pods are 4 to 5 

 inches long and about an inch wide.f 



Sea-side Bean. ( Vigna luteola Benth.) 



An American sea-side vine, but found on many other tropical 

 coasts, like the last. The flowers are yellow, in axillary racemes. 



Sea-side Locust. (Sophora foment osa L.) 



A leguminous shrub, 4 or 5 feet high, with pinnate, downy gray 

 leaves, and yellow showy flowers ; found on nearly all tropical sea- 

 shores, owing to the vitality of its sea-drifted seeds. Smith's Island 

 and South Shore ; not common. 



* Known as bonduc-seeds or Molucca beans, used in India as a tonic and 

 febrifuge. 



f This is supposed to be the vine referred to by Capt. John Smith (Hist. Vir- 

 ginia) as follows : "A kind of Woodbind there is likewise by the sea, very com- 

 monly to be found, which rurmes upon trees turning itself like a Vine : the 

 fruit somewhat resembles a Beane, but somewhat flatter, the which any way 

 eaten worketh excellently in the nature of a purge, and though very vehemently, 

 yet without all perill." I do not know whether this plant has such properties ; 

 the seeds of some species of the genus are edible. 



