224 VEGETATION 



extends to the sand-strand, we found large specimens of the two figs, Ficus 

 sapotifolia Kunth & Benche and Ficus ' jaquina folia Rich., the one with large, 

 the other with small leaves. Both are shown in Plate XXXIX, Fig. 2. Near 

 the base of one of these fig trees was a deep banana hole where the fungi grew. 

 Along the solid walls of this depression the fig roots hung in twisted ropes 

 through circular holes that they had cut in the calcareous rock. Near this 

 point, on the surface of the rocks, grew an abundance of our common Portu- 

 laca oleracea L. (Purslane), with other plants that are usual in the low cop- 

 pice. A few hundred feet away, on the slope of the hill, grew Lysiloma pauci- 

 foliola (DC.) A. S. Hitch. (Wild tamarind), Swietenia mahogani L. (Ma- 

 hogany), Coccolobis lauri folia Jacq. (Pigeon plum), Bursera simaruba (L). 

 Sarg. (G-um-elemi), Acacia choriophylla Benth. (Cinnecord), Metopium meto- 

 pium (L.) Small (Poison-wood), and Eugenia confusa DC. (Stopper). None 

 were more than 25 feet in height. On the shore at this point we took a photo- 

 graph of a fine specimen of Tournefortia gnaphaloides (Jacq.) B. Br. which 

 showed to perfection its method of multiplication by off-shoots from the 

 rooting tips of descending branches (Plate XLIV, Fig. 1). 



In the shallow water separating Mangrove Cay from Little Mangrove 

 Cay the latter a very small island, only a few hundred yards from shore 

 grew Halopliylla engelmanii Aschers, a delicate aquatic flowering plant of the 

 family Elodeacece that had not before been found in the Bahamas. With it 

 grew Coccocladus occidentalis (Harv.) Cramer, in great quantities, looking 

 like miniature Myriopliyllum. At other points in the shallow water along the 

 shore we collected Penicillus capitatus Lamarck (Mermaid's shaving brush), 

 Udotea conglutinata (Ell. & Soland) Lamour, and the curious Rhipocephalus 

 phcenix (Ell. & Soland) Kuetz., which stood like toy trees on the sandy bot- 

 tom. Among them were Caulerpas and a number of other sea weeds that are 

 given from Andros in the list. 



Off this point the dredge was let down in about 4 fathoms of water and a 

 number of other sea-weeds were secured. 



GREEN CAY. 



Eunning east and west near the south side of this island is an elevated 

 ridge which supports a fairly high coppice growth. Between this ridge and 

 the north shore is a low coppice of maritime plants with occasional depressions 

 of marshy areas. The vegetation of these depressions shows brackish condi- 

 tions, Conocarpus, Avicennia, Anona palustres L., Cladium effusum Torr. and 



