118 BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 



ling- with oysters, in others broken down and submerged bj^ recent 

 storms. Creeks cut them at intervals, leading, no one knows where. 

 One inlet in particular, our boatman calls the "Mouth of Hanamile,"' 

 which leads to the "Pepper Islands." Through the Mouth and down 

 the throat of the passage we go, and soon reach the retreat of the 

 fiery Capsicum. The banks are steep and composed wholly of bleach- 

 ed oyster shells which slij) under our feet and throw us against the 

 points of the "Spanish Bayonet," Yacca aloifolia, wiiich almost entire- 

 ly covers the island. Bleeding from its punctures we scale the para- 

 pet and look around. Bayonets bristle and interlock on every hand. 

 There are shrubby growths of Sageretia, Forestiera ■porulosa and Quer- 

 ('/;.s circiix, with rigid spine-like branches and bloated Opuntias warn- 

 ing us to touch not. Climbing: over these formidable plants and 

 binding them together, is found that singular vine, the Vincetoxicum 

 scopariumi Gray. Its tou.<?h, twine-like, green and almost leafless 

 stems intertwine among neighbori«ig plants like a Citscuta. A dozen 

 or more of these stems often twist together into a rope, run over to 

 another brancli or bush and se])arate again. If one cuts his way 

 through the tangle each severed end reminds him that he is dealing 

 wi<h a member of the milk-w^eed family. It bears a profusion of 

 minute yellowisli flowers and the pods are as slender as the branches. 

 The sistei species, T''. palmtre, Gray, grows in saline marshes, twining 

 in long spirals up the terete leaves of Juncus and Flmbristylis. The 

 slender, half-shrubby Capsicum frutescciis groAvs here in abundance, 

 finding support for its straggling branches among shrubs of stouter 

 growth. It closely resembles the southern, shrubby growth of Sola- 

 iiiun nignrm except in fruit, which is red and apparently the same as 

 the "Bird-pepper" sold by druggists. The fruit ripens throughout the 

 year and l)irds gather it. The Forestiera, like its cousin Cliionanthes, 

 is a slender tree witli similar fruit but inconspicuous flowers and mea- 

 ger foliage. Perceiving a clump of these trees laden at the top with 

 ripe fruit we decide to climb for it, although tlie heat is intense. 

 After much cutting of tangled vines and Bayonet points w^e reach the 

 sought for fruit and find that the heat has so blistered it that the blue 

 pulp has almost entirely disappeared, leaving the stones clean and 

 yet firmly attached to their peduncles. 



Leaving this inhospitable isle, a short sail brings us to 'Possum 

 Island. Like tlie one just visited it is composed entirely of shells, 

 but the vegetation is quite different. The characteristic plants of 

 this are not boldly repellant as in the other, but of a deceptive, 

 treacherous nature, armed with worse but partially concealed weap- 



