Botanical Memoranda. 313 



the occurrence and propagation of certain kinds of plants in a 

 primitive soil. Six grasses and one reed {cyperacece) form the 

 vegetation of the island, one rush and three or four of the 

 grasses forming the majority. The botanist having ascended 

 to the plateau found there two grasses, both of which 

 grew to a certain height only, and at certain places ; the one 

 (in the immediate vicinity of the settler's huts,) the oat, or 

 avena-y the second a digitaria, in the neighbourhood of the 

 terraced fields, directly opposite the entrance to the crater, 

 in warm positions, which, so soon as the earth is a little 

 disturbed, emit jets of steam. It is still uncertain whether 

 the other kinds of grass, Poa and Setaria Holcus, belong 

 exclusively to St. Paul, or are to be included in the more 

 general group of geographical plants known as that of 

 the islands of Edward's Island, Kerguelen's Island, and St. 

 Paul. 



Among the grasses there spring up here and there, but 

 on the whole very sparsely, some wild vegetables which have 

 been planted by previous chance visitors.* In the crater there 

 are also Sonchus arvensis and one Pkmtago (Plantain). On 

 the south margin of the crater are Cerastium (maize-ear 

 chick weed), and Stellaria media (chick weed) ; both grow on a 

 small piece of ground, and are far from thriving. Of 

 Cryptogamia the botanist found four sorts. Two Parmelias, 



* Such as Rumex acctosella, Cynara Scolcymus (artichoke) ; Solanum tuherosum 

 (species of nightshade) ; Daueus carotta (carrot) ; Petroselinmn sativum (parsley) ; 

 Brassica oleracea (sea-kail) ; Raphanus sativus (liorse-radish). 



