A. E. Verrill — The Bermuda Islands. 627 



mexicanum) • red head (Asclepias ctirassavica) ; flax (Linum usita- 

 tissimum) ; several species of rnorniug glories (Ipomoea dissecta, I. 

 nil, I. villosa, I. Learii, etc.); life-plant (Bryophyllum calycinum), 

 (seep. 432); indigo-plant (Indigofera tinctoria L.); red periwinkle 

 (Vinca rosea); cigar-plant (Russelia juncea); candelabra-flower 

 (Cleome speciosa); oleander; the lantannas ; aloe (Aloe vulgaris), 

 etc. 



At the present time much the larger part of the herbaceous vege- 

 tation, including the grasses, consists of introduced species, and the 

 same is true of the shrubs and deciduous trees. Aside from the 

 cedar and palmetto, the native plants make but little show, except 

 in the marshes. 



e. — List of Principal introduced Fruits and Fruit Trees. 



In a former chapter a general historical account of the cultivation 

 of some of the fruits, formerly of commercial importance, has been 

 given. In this place, most of the fruits that are now, or have for- 

 merly been cultivated for domestic use, will be enumerated or dis- 

 cussed, with additional historical data. The sequence here followed 

 is, in a general way, that of their successful introduction and his- 

 torical importance for the common fruits ; those of later introduc- 

 tion, or of less importance, are placed in botanical order in the last 

 part of the list. 



The following list of fruit trees is not supposed to be complete, 

 for many unusual species are probably cultivated in some of the 

 larger gardens that we did not see. As most of the fruit does not 

 ripen at the seasons of the year when we were there, I have depended 

 largely on the statements of Lefro} r and others, as to the relative 

 abundance and quality of many of the less common fruits, supple- 

 mented by such information as could be gathered personally during 

 our short visits. 



Banana (Musa sapientum L.) and Plantain (Musa paradisiaca L.) 



Figure 6 ; and Plate LXXIV ; Figure 2. 



Probably the early historians did not make any distinction between 

 the banana and plantain, but included all varieties under the gen- 

 eral name of plantain (or sometimes, "plants"). Governor Butler, in 

 1619, and Capt. Smith, in 1624, mentioned "plantans" as abundant 

 at those dates. They were first brought from the Bahamas in Hi Hi, 

 but they can be propagated very rapidly. They have been largely 

 cultivated ever since their first introduction. Various more choice 



