G2 ME. H. N. RIDLEY ON THE 



Altliougli the seeds are so acrid and poisonous, yet I am in- 

 formed by the Director of the island tliat the small birds eat them 

 largely, and pass them unchanged. " So when it rains we meet 

 with little burra-trees, which are cultivated. Thus it is well 

 seen that such birds should be very well able to cover in a 

 short time the whole island with burra-trees, as it was once, if it 

 was not inhabited any more." This accounts for the difl\isiou of 

 the plaut into every corner of the island. 



UETICACE^. 



Ficus NoRONH^, Oliver hi Hook. Ic. Plant, xiii. t. 1222, p. 18 ; 

 Hemsl. Voy/Chall.,^ Bot. Atlantic Isles, p. 23. 



This Fig-tree, pecviliar to this group of islands, was partially 

 described and figui'ed in the above-mentioned place from material 

 obtained by Moseley. The description is, however, incomplete 

 from poverty of material; and therefore I think it well to 

 redescribe it. 



Arbor magna, radicibus aeriis copiosis longissimis, ad 15-peda- 

 libus, cortice griseo Isevi, in plantis junioribus, in vetustisrimoso, 

 valde lacticifero. Folia coriacea atro-viridia nitida, elliptica 

 obovata obtusa, 4-9 uncias longa, 21-4 uncias lata, jjetiolus 

 incrassatus, g-1 unciam longus. Eecej)tacula globosa unciam in 

 diametro, viridia, maculis purpureis vel omnino purpurea, bracteis 

 inferioribus 3, ovatis obtusis. Flores masculi et feminei undique 

 commixti in receptaculo. Bractese lanceolatso dentata), floribus 

 jequalibus. Flores masculi quam feminei pauciores, stipitati vel 

 sessiles, bracteolis duabus ad basiu. Perianthium trilobum, lobi 

 ovati obtusi. Stamen unicum, filamento crasso. Anthera ter- 

 minali plana, oblonga, loculis approximatis. Flos femineus stipi- 

 tatus vel sessilis, bracteolis 2 lauceolatis iutegris iis masculi 

 similes. Perianthium trilobum, lobis ovatis obtusis. Stylus 

 gracilis breviter e perianthii extrorsus bifidus, ramis brevibus 

 recurvis. Ovarium ellipticum. Fructus ovalis. Semen ovale, 

 1 mm. longum, album. 



Eat Island, Sella Giueta, main island. 



This tree has been so extensively cut down, that but few of any 

 size are now left in the islands. It attains its greatest dimen- 

 sions in the Sapate ; but does not grow in the thickest part of 

 the woods, but in the more open spots. The finest trees now in 

 existence are in the garden of the Director's house, where four 



