19201 WILSON, LIUKIU ISLANDS AND THEIR LIGNEOUS VEGETATION 177 



pus edulis Rehd,, the endemic Qiiercus Miyagii Koidz,, a species resembling 

 Q. salidna Bl. but with a larger and different fruit, and Q. yayeyamensis 

 Koidz. are the sole representatives of Fagaceae on the Liukiu Islands. No 

 Willow, Alder, Birch nor Carpinus grow there, in fact the familiar types of 

 trees which make up the northern forests are all absent. Tree Figs are 

 numerous, indeed. Ficus is the genus richest in species of trees. Both Saxi- 



era of Euphorbiaceae are numerous. 



Leg 



grows 



uJciuends Mak.). It is often a tree 20 ft. tall w^ith 



crown 



( Citrus 



Ito & Matsum.) is one of the most interesting Liukiu trees. I saw none 

 that could be considered unquestionably wild but I have no reason to 

 question that it is endemic. It is often cultivated and grows full 12 metres 

 tall forming a bushy cro^Ti; the fruit is bitter but of passable flavor. The 

 red-flowered Thea japonica Nois is a rare plant on Okinawa, but the en- 

 demic T, lutcluiensis Ito with its small white flowers is a common shrub. 



surprising 



that the rocks are mostly coral. On Mt 



Taskiroi Maxim 



thicket nearer the sea R. suhlanceolatum Miq, The last named, with its 

 very large scarlet flowers, has been long cultivated in south Japan but is 

 endemic on the Liukiu Islands. The small-flowered R. serpyUifolium Miq. 



is reported from Okinawa and with 



Rehd. & Wils., a common nlant. romnh 



Wright 



Sieboldii is abundant, more usually as a large shrub than a small tree. 



species 



worthy. Of the three species of Viburnum 



demic V. suspcnsuvi Lindl., better known as F. sandanhwa Hassk., is the 



known 



long cultivated in Japan. 



The following is a list, complete as far as my researches go, of the woody 

 plants known from the three groups of islands which make up the Liukiu 



Archipel 



pecially 



naturally 



group 



of Yaku and Tanega. The southern (Sak 

 tropical elements and is related to that of south Formosa: the central 

 (Okinawa) group is richest in endemic plants. Analysis of the list shows 

 that 351 species and 23 varieties belonging to £33 genera representing 87 

 families have been recorded. Of these two genera, Tashlroea and Tetra- 

 plasia, respectively belonging to Melastomaceae and Rubiaceae, together 

 with seventy-one species and six varieties and forms are endemic. Round 

 the coast cosmopolitan warm-temperate and sub-tropical elements abound, 

 but on the mountains the flora Is largely of endemic species. Its outstand- 

 ing feature is its evergreen character, all but 12 of the endemic plants being 



