Flora of Krakatau 37 



The tall grasses, Cyperaceae, ferns and Composites have spread 

 through clearings in the strand-forest to the shore, reaching as far as 

 the carpet-like mass of Ipomaea Pes-caprae, Spinifex, Ischaemum, 

 Vigna, Canavalia and Cassytha. The interior of the island, as in 

 Krakatau, is partially covered with an open and in part with a closed 

 formation of grasses, Cyperaceae, and ferns interspersed with climbing 

 plants, Composites and orchids and with scattered trees and shrubs. 

 In 189/ fifteen species of phanerogams and vascular cryptogams were 

 found on Verlaten island. Our collection, made by two of us during 

 a visit of barely one hour, consisted of 42 species, seven of which 

 (Vitex Negwirio, Carica Papaya, Colubrbia asiatica, Caesalpinia 

 Bonducella, Mucuna pruriens, Ximenia americana, Ficus hirta) 

 had not been previously found on Krakatau. It is highly probable 

 that a longer visit to Verlaten island would have yielded a flora very 

 similar in composition to that of Krakatau. The data we obtained 

 are amply sufficient to demonstrate that the colonisation of Verlaten 

 island has been accomplished in the same way and by means of the 

 same agencies as in the case of the neighbouring island of Krakatau. 



Shortly after 5 o'clock we were again on board the steamer. 

 Before sunset the whole group of islands was left behind us and the 

 "Snip," making a wide sweep to the north, threading its way between 

 Sebesi and Seboekoe, carried us into the island-studded Java Sea 

 and next day to Tandjong Priok, the harbour of Batavia. 



III. The present composition of the flora of the 

 island of Krakatau. 



The vegetation of Krakatau and Verlaten island has in the last 

 ten years become considerably richer, in places even luxuriant. The 

 results of our excursion enabled us to add considerably to the plant- 

 list of the group of islands. The present flora of Krakatau includes 

 representatives of all divisions of the plant-kingdom : Myxomycetes, 

 Bacteria, Algae, Fungi, Liverworts, Mosses, Ferns, Gymnosperms, 

 and Angiosperms. The total number of species collected in the 

 group of islands during the excursions made in 1886, 1897 and 1900 

 reached 137. 



In the following list the species obtained on the three occasions are 

 arranged according to families and classes, beginning with the 

 Angiosjjermae dicotyledoneae. The middle column shows on which 

 of the three islands the plants were found and when (1880, 1897 or 

 1900) the records were made. (Abbreviations: K. = Krakatau; 

 V. = Verlaten island; L. = Lang island; 1= visit in June 1880; 

 2 = visit in March 1897 ; 3 = visit in April 1900.) 



