BY J. H. MAIDEN. 723 



TYPHACEiE. 



130. Typha angustifolia, Linn., var. Brownii, Kronfeld, 

 Yerh. Zool.-Bot. Ges. Wien, xxxix. 152 (1889). (Syn. T. latifolia, 

 Forst., Prod. 61: ; T. angustifolia^ R.Br., P. Graebner, Typhacese 

 (Das Pflanzenreich, p. 13.) — "Swampy ground, Arthur's Vale" 

 (A. Cunn.). It still occurs in the same place. 



AR0IDE5:. 



T was informed that there is an edible and a non-edible 

 ("bastard") Taro on the Island. I presume the latter refers to 

 Colocasia macrorrhiza, which is a likely inhabitant, though I did 

 not notice it. 



131. Colocasia ANTiQUORUM, Schott. — "Taro." I do not doubt 

 that the following extracts refer to this species. I saw it 

 abundantly present at the place indicated by Lieut.-Govr. King 

 in 1788. I quote the passage, as it is very important to arrive at 

 precision in regard to the indigenous vegetation, especially where, 

 as in the case of Norfolk Island, such vegetation has been so 

 much interfered with : — 



" On ye 27th I discovered a great quantity of plantane trees,* which grow 

 close to the stream of fresh water which runs through the valley, which is in 

 this part of it dry, and not swampy as it is opposite the hill on which the 

 settlement is and below it. The valley is also very wide and bordered by 

 some small hills, which are as thickly covered with wood as any other part 

 of ye island. . . . The plantane trees grow close to the water, and are 

 so thick that they choak each other, besides the very great quantity of other 

 small aquatic shrubs, and the bear-bind with which they are interlaced must 

 necessarily retard their perfection. I, therefore, as soon as a man can be 

 spared, intend clearing a spot round them, and transplanting some of ye 

 suckers into dryer ground " (Lieut.-Govr. King, 27th April, 1788, Hist. Kec. 

 of N.S.W., Vol. ii.,p. 566). 



And again, under date 16th May, 1788 : — 



" Broke two men off from clearing away on the N.E. side of ye hill to 

 assist Mr. Altree in removing his things to the plantane plantation, where I 



* Plantain does not here refer to a Mtisa. The use of the word "tree" 

 amongst old writers in the sense of " plant " is common enough. We still 

 use the term "rose-tree " frequently. Vide Mu-m^ infra, p. 754. 



