FLORA OF THE TORRES STRAITS. 427 
useful purposes, but with us is entirely neglected. What might 
be termed the mangrove flora of these islands scarcely differs from 
that of the mainland. Here, however, and at Somerset I fre- 
quently met with trees of the yellow plum (Ximenia americana, 
Linn.) The fruit, which is about the size of a pigeon’s egg, is 
agreeable to the eye, but very insipid. Of climbing-plants the 
order Convolvulacee or “ Morning Glory” family furnish the 
greatest number of species, the flowers of which are large and 
showy; Cassytha filiformis, Linn., one of the “Laurel Dodders,” 
is seen in every direction crowding over every tree and shrub, 
and, when nothing else is near, fixing upon even the grasses, out 
of which also it sucks the life. Writers tell us that in India this 
pest enjoys a reputation for medicinal virtues ; let us hope that, 
ere long, some of our ‘medicine men” may discover a use for it, 
and that the demand may act as a check upon its spread. Climbing 
over shrubs near the beach may be seen plants of Modecca australis, 
R.Br. The genus is allied to the passion-flower, and the species 
are worthy of garden culture on account of the bright-red fruits 
which are in this island species blunt, almost truncate at the end, 
thus differing from J/. populifolia, Blume, the species met with in 
the scrubs of the Barron and Endeavour Rivers, which is much 
longer, narrower, and spindle-shaped. In one of the gully scrubs 
of Thursday Island I found plants of a weak climbing cucurbi- 
taceous plant, which I take for a Afelothria, but was only able to 
obtain fruiting specimens. It attracted my attention from the 
manner in which it ejects its seeds, which is precisely that of the 
squirting cucumber (£cbaliwm elaterium, A. Rich.) The fruits 
were scarcely the size of a pigeon’s egg. I am in hopes of raising 
plants from the seeds obtained, from which the species may be 
determined. The beautiful orchids for which these islands used 
to be favoured are fast disappearing, at least from anywhere easy 
of approach from Thursday Island—such is the case with regard 
to the varieties of Dendrobium bigibbum, Lindl., which are the 
kinds most sought after. On thetrees of Hammond Island I saw 
large masses of that pitcher-forming Asclepiad, Dischidia Rafflesiana, 
Wall., as well as the other species of this genus, which in Queens- 
land are known as ‘ Button Orchids.” 
At the time of my visit the small plants, such as annuals, 
herbaceous plants, and small shrubs, owing to the unusual dry 
weather, were only found in bloom on a few favoured spots. 
Patches were often seen of Zephrosia polyzyga, ¥.v.M., with its 
nodding racemes of small, purplish flowers, and long leaves, which 
are composed of numerous small leaflets. In company with this 
plant may in places be seen Jacksonia thesioides, A. Cunn. This 
forms a very pretty shrub, rather dense, of abovt 3 or 4 feet in 
height, of a pleasing gray colour; the flowers are of a very pale- 
blue, small, but numerous. On the sandy land near the beach at 
