338 BOTANY. 



S. rapandum. The leaves of this species are large, 

 and undulated at their margins, and, as well as the en- 

 tire plant, are covered with a soft and thick wool. The 

 flowers are white, and mostly borne in clusters at the 

 insertion of the leaves. The fruit is a globular berry 

 which, when ripe, is soft, yellow, has the flavour of an 

 apricot, and is a wholesome and pleasant food. 



Society Isles. Marquesas ; native name uku. 



S. nigrum St. Helena. 



Physalis edulis. Cape Gooseberry or Winter Cherry. 

 This plant, which is so often kept in the English 

 green-house, grows wild and in great abundance at 

 Oahu, Sandwich Isles, (where it is called orod,) as well 

 as at St. Helena ; its fruit is eaten by both European 

 and native residents. 



P.parviftora. This, and several other dwarf species of 

 the same family, (and one of which bears the native name 

 pomanini,} inhabit the Society arid Marquesan Isles, 

 but the berries they produce are small and not edible. 



Convolvulus Batatus. Sweet Potatoe. A procum- 

 bent and trailing herb. Flowers pale-pink and inodo- 

 rous. The cultivated root of this species is red exter- 

 nally, and contains a viscid milky fluid ; in size and 

 form it resembles the common, or Irish, potatoe, is 

 equally wholesome as food, and can scarcely be distin- 

 guished from that vegetable but by its very sweet 

 taste. It is very tenacious of life, and may be pre- 

 served for a long time at sea : when taken on board a 

 ship as sea-stock, it casts forth many vigorous shoots, 

 and often adorns the cabin in which it is suspended 

 with elegant festoons of its trailing and verdant foliage. 



