THE PALAEOTROPICS 253 



ancient sedimentary rocks, the remains of some much larger sub- 

 merged land-masses. Indeed there is much reason to suppose 

 that all of Polynesia represents the remnants of extensive con- 

 tinental, or sub-continental masses once connected with the Ma- 

 layan region. 



The flora of the southern larger islands has much in common with 

 that of the Malay Archipelago and there are many identical 

 species, as well as endemic species belonging to wide-spread 

 Malayan genera. There is also a marked Australasian element 

 in the floras of Polynesia. 



Of course one must distinguish between the plants which man 

 has carried with him all over the tropics, and those which are 

 truly indigenous. The coconut, bread-fruit, bananas, sugar 

 cane, etc., are universal in tropical countries. But leaving these 

 aside, there is no question of the close relationships existing be- 

 tween the southern islands of Polynesia and those of the Malay 

 Archipelago. 



The traveller between San Francisco and Australia or New 

 Zealand, can get a glimpse of the Polynesian vegetation, as the 

 ship stops in Hawaii, Samoa, Fiji, or Tahiti. A short sojourn in 

 any of these islands will suffice to give one an idea of the general 

 character of the vegetation, which has much in common through- 

 out Polynesia. 



Along the shore in Tahiti one sees the yellow Hibiscus, the 

 "Hau" of the Hawaiians, screw-pines, and the handsome Bar- 

 ringtonia, so characteristic of the Malayan strand vegetation, 

 while the forest trees, as well as the rich undergrowth of herba- 

 ceous plants, recall the rain-forests of the Malayan regions. This 

 is especially true of the very abundant ferns, club-mosses and 

 liverworts, many of which are wide-spread Malayan species. 

 Among the ferns, giant specimens of Angiopteris are especially 

 conspicuous, and there are a good many orchids, also belonging 

 to Malayan genera. In Tahiti, the only orchid cultivated for 

 commercial purposes, Vanilla, is a crop of considerable impor- 

 tance. Climbing plants are much less developed in the Polynesian 

 forests than is usual in the Malayan rain-forest . 



