156 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Oct and Nov. 



escaped from gardens, in wild corners of fences, and (/. alba) 

 also grows occasionally with the former. 



What appears to be the most universally spread plant in 

 Bermuda is the Life Plant {Bryophyihan calycinum), locally 

 known as " Floppers," a name attributable to the cracking noise 

 produced by pressing the buds before they are fully open. 

 Every old wall or rocky road margin is literally covered with its 

 growth, the large fleshy leaves tending to make it conspicuous, 

 and its pendulous flowers, of a green and purple hue with a 

 bladder-like appearance, on stalks eight or ten inches high, all 

 through the winter season at once attract attention. The leaves 

 or leaflets when placed on a moist surface, produce rootlets and 

 young plants at the marginal creases, a peculiarity which 

 appears to render the usual methods of propagation unnecessary, 

 as its seeds are said not to mature. One leaf will sometimes 

 shew when lying detached from the parent plant, a dozen young 

 plants forming around it. 



From the prolific display of the whole flora of Bermuda, 

 mention of any one more than another seems almost invidious, 

 and in the enumeration of the above-mentioned plants, imagina- 

 tion must supply the reality to those wIid have not visited that 

 flower land. Before closing, I must mention three plants, more 

 of a commercial than botanical value. First is the Dwarf 

 Banana {Musa Cavendishii) of which family there are several 

 kinds, viz., the common one {^M. saptentum), the Red {M. 

 rosacea), the Fig {M. spkatuin), and the Plantain {M. para- 

 disiacd). The Dwarf is the kind most frequently grown, bearing 

 heavy bunches of choice fruit, consequent probably on this 

 variety being more easily sheltered from the wind, which when 

 blowing heavily tears the exposed parallel-veined leaves of the 

 taller varieties to shreds. A large reddish-brown or chocolate- 

 colored drooping flower pendent from each bunch of fruit is a 

 curiosity in itself, and is not unlike the closed bloom of a water 

 lily or Night-blooming Cereus. The graceful palmlike appear- 

 ance of the large feathery leaves and tree-like stems adds not a 

 little to the tropical appearance of the landscape, for there is 



