of the Mauritius. 125 



BOTANY. 



The empire of Flora, which was wont to be so extensive in our Island, 

 but which is daily curtailed by the operations of its inhabitants, still 

 offers occupation to those who give themselves to that pursuit. Botaoists 

 have already made known to the world, a preat proportion of our plants, 

 but many species still remain to be described. 



Mr. w*. Hojer, professor of that science in the Royal College, and 

 who now reckons among the members of our Society many of his former 

 pupils, has imparted to us portions of his discoveries. 



A Hybiscus which he has discovered growing wild in the forests of 

 our Island, and which has long been cultivated in gardens, has been, by 

 our associate, remarked as occurring particularly in the district of La 

 Riviere Noire, on the property of Mr. Geneve, one of our members. He 

 has given it* on this account, the name of Hybiscus Genevii. He has 

 iigured it, and accompanied it with a Latin description. 



The Siphoroeris Lingun, (Boj.) belonging to a genus which has been 

 for some time established; the Grewia Ulmifolia, (Boj.) a new species 

 which we owe to him; and the Tanghinia veneniflua aub. dc l J t. Th. 

 have been described and figured by nur colleague, with great care and 

 exactness. 



Of the I'nona hamata Dec. Prod, and the Norohea Chartacea, figured 

 by Mrs. C. Telfair & Miss Baigrie, Mr. Bojer has ascertained the habitats. 



He has also employed himself in figuring and describing the varieties 

 of the Mango, the fruit of Mangifera In. lira, so common in our Island ; 

 and has already collected more than 7i) varieties. He has in this I 

 aided by Mr*. C. Telfair, M rie, and Mr. Duvivier. Mr. Nolin of 



our Society, has furnished him with several line specimens of fruit, from 

 his estate at La Petite Riviere ; where he has succeeded by care, per- 

 rance, and ingenious methods of procedure, in obtaining mangos 

 and other fruits of very superior quality. Mr. IVjer has made known to 

 us, ia different instances, figures and specimens of plants transmitted to 

 the Society, and has especially done service to the science, in naming 

 and pointing out the localities of 12 plants, sent from professor Hooker 

 of Glasgow, which had been figured with extreme accuracy by Dr. 

 Shuler, whose premature decease hindered the determination of those 

 plants. The Ipomea Peltata alone belonged to our Island. 



Mr. J. Del isse (Father) has read a most interesting paper on Botany 

 and Vegetable Physiology. The Cassia Alata was long ago introduced 

 here from Java, under the name of Caliping. It was cultivated in our 

 gardens, and used in cutaneous affections ; but no one had beheld its 

 qualifications. Mr. Delisse had the pleasure of being able to study this 

 plant ; the result is detailed in The Voyage of L' (Irnnie round the World. 



Mr. G. Bouton, in a memoir on the distribution of the natural families 

 of plants of tli is ccuntry, has reviewed and considered those which are 

 found on the summits of the mountains, and on the brink of the ocean, 

 and at different altitudes and exposures. This memoir was ui. .. 

 with the view of promoting the progress of Botanic Geography. He has 

 also carefully investigated the genus Zi/iphus, known here by the name 



■^on, and has given us a detailed description of its species. IK 

 pointed out several varieties which ought to constitute species. Our 

 colleague also gave an account of a work produced in l'aris by Mr. 

 Achille Richard, on the Orchideae of this island, and of a proposal of 

 this naturalist, to publish a Flora of th 1 IWurbon. 



Our fellow countryman Cos?igny, bad long tinrc remarked a mnl«j 



