156 



stamens. Fig. 6, Side view of a stamen. Fig. 7, Back 

 view of do. Fig. 8, Grain of pollen : — more or less mag- 

 nijied. Fig. 9, Seed in a state of germination : — nat. size. 



ACCOUNT OF THE PLANT, KNOWN AT THE ISLE OF 

 FRANCE UNDER THE COMMON NAME OF LIANE LEJO- 

 LIFF {TELFAIRIA FED AT A:) BY M. JEAN VINCENT, 

 ADVOCATE. 



M. LejolifF, of St. Malo, a captain in the Navy, undertook 

 in the year 1807, a voyage to the Eastern coast of Africa, 

 whence he brought the seeds of a plant, hitherto unknown 

 in this Island. These vegetated quickly; but their flowers 

 not setting, the hopes which several colonists had enter- 

 tained of cultivating this new esculent, were disappointed. 



The only individual plant in this town, blossomed in the 

 second year, but all its flowers proved male ; while a small 

 number of barren fruits, produced by some female plants at 

 Wilhehn's Plain, contained seeds, whose perisperm was en- 

 tirely hollow; thus incontestably proving the dioecious 

 nature of the species. 



A hurricane destroyed all the plants in the third year. 

 The loss of this valuable vegetable caused the more regret, 

 because it was impossible to replace it; no one knowing 

 either its name or the spot whence it was originally ob- 

 tained. Fifteen or sixteen years elapsed before it was 

 introduced anew. 



I had communicated my notes on this curious Cucurhita- 

 ceous plant to my friends, M. M. Helsinberg and Bojer, two 

 German Naturalists; who vainly sought for it in their 

 earlier excursions to Madagascar. Captain Owen, to whom 

 I also mentioned it, when he first visited Mauritius, and who 

 was Commandant of the Expedition for exploring the Eastern 

 coast of Africa, was equally unsuccessful. He, however, 

 took on board his vessel the unfortunate Helsinberg, to 

 whom I renewed my solicitations. At the same time, M. 

 Bojer embarked in the Andromache, commanded by Com- 

 modore Nourse, an officer whose kindness and friendly 



