1842.] Linnean Society. 157 



Mr. Kippist regards it as an undescribed species, although speci- 

 mens collected at Sierra Leone by Afzelius are in the collections of 

 Sir James E. Smith and Sir Joseph Banks, on the former of which 

 Afzelius has noted that it is much cultivated by the negroes in Sierra 

 Leone. 



Mr. Kippist distinguishes the species by the following characters: — 

 Paspalum exile, glabenimum, caule filifoi-mi, racemis subternis digitatis, 

 axi partial! spiculis singulis angustiore, spiculis parvis sub-biserialibus 

 pedicellatis, glumis ovatis acutiusculis paleis asqualibus, foliis lineari- 

 lanceolatis margine seri'ulatis. 

 Gramen sub-bipedale, inferne ramosum ; racemi tenues, 3 — 4-pollicares, 

 subsessiles ; axes partiales angustissimse, planae, margine minute den- 

 ticulatse ; spiculae vix lineales ; glumae exterioris respectu racheos, (val- 

 vulae floris masculi superstitis) nervi 7 — 9 sequidistantes, interioris 5, 

 quorum laterales approximati ; palese minutissime striatae j folia plana ; 

 vaginae longissimae ; ligulae truncatae integrse. 



Read also a letter from N. B. "Ward, Esq., F.L.S., containing a 

 statement furnished to him by Mrs. "Williams, the widow of the late 

 missionary of that name, respecting the transportation of the Musa 

 Cavendishii to the Navigators' Islands, and its culture there. Mr. 

 "Williams left England on the 11th of April 1839, and arrived at 

 LTpolu, one of the Navigators' Islands, at the end of November. He 

 carried with him, in one of Mr. Ward's glazed cases, a young plant 

 of Musa Cavendishii, which bore the voyage well. It was trans- 

 planted into a favourable situation, and in May 1840 a cluster of 

 fine fruit (in number exceeding 300) was produced ; after which the 

 parent plant died, leaving behind more than thirty suckers, which 

 were distributed to various parts of the island. In May 1841, when 

 Mrs. Williams left to return to England, the greater part of these 

 were in a fructifying state, so that there cannot be a doubt of this 

 valuable plant quickly becoming abundant, not only in Upolu, but 

 also in the neighbouring islands. Mrs. Williams further states that 

 the fruit is highly prized by the natives as being much finer and very 

 different in flavour from any of the species or varieties previously 

 growing in these islands. 



Read also a continuation of Mr. Hope's memoir on new and un- 

 described Insects from Sylhet. 



