THE BAHAMA ISLANDS 209 



BYRSONIMA LUCIDA Rich. (Sweet Margaret). 



Usually a low shrub, but reaching 20 feet on Andros. Its rosy flowers, 

 changing to purple as they develop, make this a very attractive plant. The 

 greenish fruit has a pleasantly acid flavor. The plant is common on New 

 Providence, Andros and Abaco, and a few specimens were seen on Cat and 

 Watlings Islands. It also occurs in southern Florida, as well as in Cuba and 

 some of the other West Indian Islands. 



MALPIGHIA POLYTRICHA Juss. (Touch-me-not). 



A shrub with stinging hairs on the leaves, whence the name. The pulpy 

 fruit is about the size of a large cherry. Found on New Providence, Andros, 

 Eleuthera and Cat Islands, and on Haiti. 



BUNCHOSIA GLANDULOSA (Cov.) Eich. (West Indian Cherry). 

 A good-sized shrub with pretty, yellow flowers, and fruit the size of a 

 plum. Occurs on New Providence, Eleuthera and Long Islands, in the West 

 Indies and- South America. Not common in the Bahamas. 



BUMELIA LORANTHIFOLIA (Pierre) Britton (Milk Plum or Saffron). 



A bushy shrub with dark, edible fruit about the size of a cherry. It is 

 common on New Providence, Andros, Abaco and Eleuthera, and is found in 

 southern Florida, Texas and Cuba. 



CULTIVATED FRUITS. 



In comparison with Jamaica, Cuba and many of the other West Indies, 

 the number of fruits cultivated in the Bahamas is very small. This is prob- 

 ably due in large measure to the very restricted range of soil and climatic 

 conditions in the latter group. We give below only those fruits that were 

 actually seen by us; many others are given by Gardner, Brace and Dolley as 

 cultivated in the Bahamas, and isolated specimens of most of them may no 

 doubt still be found in gardens and door-yards. 



Cocos NUCIFERA L. (Cocoanut Palm). 

 Plate XXVI, Fig. 2, and Plate LXXXV, Fig. 2. 



One of the commonest trees in the Bahamas. It is partial to sandy soil 

 near the sea, but unless some cultivation is given the fruit is of inferior size. 



PHCENIX DACTYLIFERA L. (Date Palm). 



This fine palm was seen only on New Providence and on Watlings 

 Island. It is said to occasionally ripen its fruit in Nassau. 

 14 



