— 119 -* 



There is quite a number of plants of this tree grownig 

 on Gabriel Island which is about 5 mile frona Flat 

 Island, and several plants of it are growing at different 

 places in the latter. This tree, to judge from the 

 nature of the place where it is growing, has been 

 planted and cultivated. 



In Flat Island two or more ' Tamarin ' trees.— 

 Tamarindus Indicus — were noticed. The growth of 

 one of them was so beaten down by the sea breezes 

 that although the tree was an old one its height above 

 the ground did not exceed 6 feet. It is low and 

 squatty, and appears to have grown laterally instead 

 of uprightly. 



The fibre yielding Fourcroya gigantea, or ' Mau- 

 ritius Hemp plant," ( Aloes vert ) bids fair to overrun 

 the Island at no distant date, if it is allowed to grow 

 and increase without hindrance. 



The ' Racket/ * or prickly pear.' Opuntia Tuna, 

 has also been introduced from, it is conjectured, the 

 mainland ; and as every bit that is broken of it will 

 grow; it will soon spread over the Island, particularly 

 in the woods of the Filao tree where it is established 

 at many places- 



A species of Date palm, likely a variety of the 

 Date, Phoenix Dactylifera, should also be mentioned 

 as it is growing spontaneously at diffarent places in 

 the Island. Neither flowers nor fruit of it were found. 

 The Bois Noir, Albizzia Lebbek, has also become 

 common, and if browsing animals as goats, cattle, 

 sheep, rabbits &c., are prevented from wandering at 

 large over the Island, it will rapidly spread by natural 

 means. This will be highly beneficial to the salubrity 

 &c., of this Island. 



The indigenous planus, with the exception of the 

 '' Latanier, de File Ronde,' Latania Loddigesii, and 



