588 A. E. Verritt — The Bermuda Islands. 



more similar there, hence a much greater per cent, of West Indian 

 plants would be able to establish themselves. 



Many tropical plants produce large seeds or nuts with such hard 

 and impervious shells that they can float in the sea for many weck^. 

 or even months, without injury. Seeds of certain West Indian 

 plants cast ashore with seaweeds on the coast of Bermuda, in recent 

 times, have been seen to germinate and grow there, as the Soap- 

 beny Tree (Sapindus saponaria), the Mahoe, etc. Many true sea- 

 side plants have seeds of this kind and have thus acquired a very 

 wide distribution.* 



Floating decayed drift-wood, or drifting trees with roots and 

 earth adherent, having drifted northward in the Gulf Stream, may 

 then have been cast upon the Bermuda shores by the prevailing 

 southwest winds, thus bringing seeds, insects in the pupa state, 

 reptiles, snails, earthworms, etc. Such cases have occurred in modern 

 times. 



Possibly many minute, light seeds, and some small winged seeds, 

 may have been carried as far as Bermuda in gales of wind, or in 

 hurricanes. But plants having downy pappus on the seeds, or with 

 regularly winged seeds, were not numerous in the native flora. The 

 spores of ferns and mosses can thus be carried long distances by the 

 wind, which accounts for their wide distribution. 



Of the 156 species of flowering plants and ferns that appear to 

 have been natives, about 115 species inhabit also the coastal regions 

 of North America, much the larger part of these being found in 

 Florida, but some also occur in New England. Among these the 

 Bayberry (Myrica cerifera) is very noticeable in the marshes. Its 

 seeds are eaten by many birds, including the yellow-rumped warbler 

 and the catbird. 



About 118 of the species are native of the West Indies, and of 

 these about 90 species are also found in Florida or adjacent parts of 

 North America, but they are probably of West Indian origin. 

 About 28 species are West Indian, and not found in Florida, and 

 about the same number are of North American origin and not found 

 in the West Indies. 



In the last named group are the Nettle-tree ( Celtis), the Wood- 

 bine, and the "Poison ivy" [Rhus toxicodendron). The latter is 

 still very common and was mentioned by the earliest settlers as "the 

 poison weed." Governor Butler, in 1619, gave a good description 



* Hemsley (op. eit., p. 48) enumerates about 45 species of the native Bermuda 

 plants, in his list of those that have such seeds. 



