342 



accordingly, the Flora Mauritiana limited almost exclu- 

 sively to trees ; to climbing plants, which possess the faculty 

 of elevating themselves, by the aid of trees, to seek the air 

 and the light ; and to a less aspiring tribe, which, satisfied 

 with a smaller share of those vivifying elements, court the 

 obscurity of the shade. 



" On approaching the shore at the mouths of the rivers 

 and bottoms of the bays, where the sea is always tranquil, 

 the first object we encounter is a belt of Mangrove trees 

 {Rhizophora mucronata, and gymnorhiza) edging the coast, 

 and pushing even into the water. After we have crossed 

 this belt, we come to another consisting of a great variety 

 of trees and shrubs, that flourish within the reach of the 

 sea-breeze. Among these we find the Hibiscus tiliaceus and 

 populneus displaying their large bell-shaped yellow flowers, 

 the Hernandia sonora, the Erythrina carnea and Coralloden- 

 dron^ with their superb spikes of scarlet blossoms, the 

 Barringtonia speciosa, the Ehretia argentea, SccBVola Koenigii, 

 and Pemphis acidula. Along with these we also find various 

 species of Co?ivolvulus and Ipomcea intertwined in elegant 

 festoons, or trailing amongst the grass. 



" Round a considerable portion of the island we can 

 plunge at once from the shore into the forest, where we are 

 struck, at first sight, with the great size of many of the trees, 

 the height and straightness of their branchless trunks, and the 

 comparative scantiness of their foliage. We are led, at the 

 same time, to admire the various means by which nature, 

 as if ashamed of the decay of her works, strives to conceal 

 the approaches of old age by the aid of borrowed verdure. 

 The numerous tribe of climbers are seen winding their 

 flexile stems round the trunks of the aged trees, imtil they 

 have arrived at the highest branches; then shooting down 

 their filiform suckers to take root again in the soil, and 

 thence absorb a fresh supply of juices. The creeping plants 

 ascend more slowly ; but garnish their supporters as they 

 ascend with elegant wreaths of verdure. Lastly, the para- 

 sitical plants, properly so called, the Orchidece and the 

 Dracoence fix themselves on the bark, and throw out spikes 



