— 117 — 



leaves, 13 likewise in all probability confined to Eound island, 

 with the exception of a few starveling plants which Mr. 

 Home tells me he found on the opposite coast of Flat Island 

 evidently the product of seeds washed across. 



Here, too, however Bojer's inaccurate classification has 

 created a difiiculty. Two species of Latanier only are given 

 in the '' Hortus Mauritianus." — Borbonica and Rubra, the 

 one correctly assigned to both Mauritius and Bourbon, the 

 other erroneously to the latter Island and He Eonde, being 

 said to be cultivated in gardens under the name of •' Latanier 

 Rouge de Bourbon." Now with regard to the second though 

 it may be indigenous to Bourbon, it certainly is so likewise to 

 Mauritiua, growing for example on the precipices at the back 

 of the * Trois Mamelles ' aod the ' Corps-de-G-arde ' ; and it cer- 

 tainly is not the same as the Eound Island species now called 

 glaucopJiylla, although that in its young state and when most 

 likely to be transplanted, has its foliage so red that it is easy 

 to understand how it could be mistaken for it. Mr. Home, 

 it will be seen, is of opinion that there are four Lataniers, 

 found in these parts, each peculiar to one Island, assigning 

 L. glaif,co^lmjlla to Round Island — L. rubra to Mauritius, L, 

 Borbonica to Bourbon and L, aurea to Eodrigues ; but I 

 cannot quite concur as to the 2nd and 3rd which I believe are 

 common to both Mauritius and Bourbon, and though he 

 states the Borbonica to be the reddest of all, I cannot imagine, 

 in that case, by what name he intends to designate the green 

 stalked species which is the commonest of all. The specimens 

 of L. glaucopJiylla to be found in Round Island are by far the 

 most magnificent of the genus that I ever saw. Some at the 

 back of the Island towering with straight slender stems to the 

 height of 40 to 50 feet ; when it is remembered that until they 

 attain the age of about 15 years they do not begin to form 

 anything like Trunk, the length of time they must have been 

 growing may be conjectured. 



As the Eavenal or Traveller's Tree, mentionned in Colonel 

 Lloyd's Report, is usually classed in the order of Musaceae 

 or Plantains, this would be the proper place to allude to it 

 according to the Natural System of Botany, but though we 



