— 69 — 



trunk is about 2 to 4 inclies in diameter, often thicker at the 

 top than at the base. The tree attains a height of 25 or 30 

 feet. It is thick and bushy and pyramidal in outline. From 

 the base to the top it sends out numerous and large roots. 

 These strike into the ground at all distances from the tree np ' 

 to 20 or 30 feet. One can walk among them, and the tree is 

 steadied in its place by them and kept from being blown over, 

 just as the masts of a ship are kept upright, and prevented 

 from being carried away by stays, rigging, &c. 



" 88. There are four or five species of LorantJis indigenous 

 in Seychelles. These parasitic plants grow there on almost 

 every kind of tree or shrub, even the Tanghin and SirycJinos 

 trees are frequently covered with them. One of them, which 

 grows on the " Capucin," is without leaves, and another spe- 

 cies, Loranthus Indicus, I think, bears beautiful flowers. 



" 89. Ferns may also be mentioned under this heading. 

 There are about 70 species indigenous in these Islands. Indi- 

 viduals of the same species are very numerous. The tree fern, 

 Gijathea SecJiellarum, a magnificent tree, is very abundant in 

 the mountains, so also is Angiopteris avecta. Some of the 

 species are very beautiful, especially Neplirodium Wardli, Pel- 

 aecb BarJdyce, Lindsaya KirJcii and a species of Lastraea 

 Lindsaya cuUatra, which I found only in the Coco de Mer 

 Ravine, is the rarest and not the least beautiful. Some of the 

 Lycopods are also very graceful. 



*' 90. The most beautiful flowering plants natives of Sey"- 

 chelles, are Angrcemm eburneuta ; a species of Vanilla whose 

 leaves toe verjr small and deciduous — so much so, that they only- 

 he seen for a few days on the points of the youngest shoots 

 Its pods, although large, have no aroma ; a species of Imjxt' 

 Uens (Balsam) : Two species of Mclastuma ; a shrubs belong- 



