BOTANY; 331 



The leaves (supported on long petioles) are broad, 

 cordo-ovate-lanceolate, smooth, bright-green, and six- 

 nerved. The fructification is an amentiform spadix, 

 about three inches in length, and resembling the " long 

 pepper ;" its peduncle is fixed opposite to the insertion 

 of a leaf. The species was noticed only at the island 

 of Timor, where it is cultivated for its use as a masti- 

 catory. The natives sometimes train the plant upon 

 a trellis, as is done in Bengal, though they more fre- 

 quently allow it to climb over the trunks of palms and 

 other tall trees. 



TRIANDBIA. MONOGYNIA. 



Kyllingia monocephala. Society Isles. 



Scirpus tacustris. Rush Grass. The culms or 

 stalks of this species grow to the height of four feet, 

 and are employed by the natives for the manufacture 

 of their finest mats. 



Habitat. Swamps and taro-patches, Oahu, Sand- 

 wich Islands ; native name atatai. 



S. carinatus. ^ 



S. (near maritimus.) \ Sandwich Group. 



Eleocharis capitata. 3 



Cyperus Sp. This plant grows in great abundance, 

 both on the sea-shore and on the banks of rivers. Its 

 tall slender stalk, supporting a broad umbel, is used by 

 the natives to secure the small fish they capture on the 

 reefs : the culm being passed through the gills of the 

 fish, they slide down it until arrested by the umbel, 

 and thus a great number may be strung, or, more cor- 

 rectly speaking, filed together with little trouble. The 

 fibres of the stalk, drawn out into a coarse kind of 



