48 THE JOURNAL OF BOTANY 



" Wattle," Loblolly (Pisonia suhcordata), which is frequently 

 crowned by a species of Loranthus bearing smallish white berries, 

 Pimenta acris, and Balsam [Lantana ?). Prickly Pear (Opuntia 

 Tuna) is not common, while the Turk's Head {Melocactus com- 

 munis) occurs all over the bare limestone surface. Many other 

 shrubs and herbs occur which I had no time to identify during a 

 short visit I paid, but at least I could note that they w^ere distinct 

 from any Antigua plants. Mention will be made later of the very 

 interesting and quite distinctive group of plants found on the 

 limestone cliffs at Two Foot Bay, where the little hills (200 ft. or 

 less) occur which alone break Barbuda's uniform level just a few 

 feet above the sea. 



In dependence on the three geological divisions of Antigua 

 there are three Typical Plant Associations, which are well defined 

 and distinct from one another. In addition to these there are 

 two which depend on the character of the shore, i.e., the 

 Mangrove and Littoral Associations. All these are more or less 

 modified in accordance with the special xerophytic conditions 

 which distinguish i^ntigua from its more lofty neighbours. 



The Plant Associations of Antigua. 



1. The Mangrove Swamps. — Many parts of the coast are 

 shallow and swampy and are covered with Mangroves. This is 

 specially the case on the leeward side of the island if the coast is 

 low, as in the harbour of St. John's and the flat land lying to 

 the north of it round Mackinnon's. Bhizophora Mangle, " the " 

 Mangrove, abounds, growing in the water with its dense network 

 of buttress and pillar roots and its seeds with their long pro- 

 truding radicles. Scarcely in the water, but in very moist and 

 swampy situations, where hardly anything else will grow, are two 

 other Mangroves ; one of these is the " Olive " Mangrove 

 [Avice^mia nitida), each bush surrounded by its mass of aerating 

 roots, and with its leaves glistening with their coating of salt 

 crystals. The other is the less known, but nevertheless common, 

 Laguncularia racemosa, with its thick leaves turned edgewise to 

 the sun on their reddish petioles. Yet further back, where it is 

 possible to walk without extreme discomfort, comes Conocarpus 

 erectus, showing a less degree of adaptability to sea-covered 

 swamps than the other Mangroves ; it is sometimes known as the 

 West Indian Alder. 



Only one other plant seems able to follow the Mangroves 

 over the foul-smelhng slime ; this is Batis maritima, which, with 

 its woody main stem, its green fleshy side shoots, and its leaves 

 and flowers reduced to the barest minimum, is equally at home 

 on dry coral sand and saturated mud. Other plants occur on the 

 fringe of the swamps, or on the firmer sandy patches which are 

 found here and there ; they are chiefly sand dwellers. I have 

 found Sesuvium portulacastncm, Portulaca oleracea, Euphorbia 

 buxifolia, and even the xerophytic orchid Oncidium Bemonianum. 

 The chief animals of these swamps are the little " Jumbie crabs," 

 with one claw often larger than the rest of the body, which tunnel 



