63 



Fijians. Such patches are comparatively few. In 

 them the hard -leaved myrtaceae abound. Numbers 

 of noko-noko casuarina equisetif olia ; the gumas, 

 acacia richii ; geitonoplesiums and a species of hib- 

 bertia, along with the open grassy aspect of this part 

 of the country, give it a striking resemblance to some 

 parts of Australia. The dark foliage of the kau 

 kuru, casuarina nodiflora, in dense masses, has the 

 sombre aspect of a pine-clad mountain side. While 

 the presence of screw pines and sago palms (cycas 

 circinalis) in clumps or single specimens dotted over 

 the country, give the landscape a somewhat antedilu- 

 vian aspect. Acres of land are covered with ferns, 

 the " bracken," pteris esculenta, gleichenia oceanica, 

 and nephrodium molle. 



The " turmeric " plant (curcuma longa, cogo of 

 the natives) abounds in this part of Fiji, and hill- 

 sides may be seen covered with it, mingled with the 

 yaka (pachyrrhizus angulatus), and the yabia s Fijian 

 arrowroot, several varieties of tacca. In most of 

 the dry districts, several species of the gardenia 

 abound, their white flowers adorning the landscape 

 and perfuming the air with their odour, which, in the 

 open atmosphere, is refreshing and pleasant. The 

 "candle nut" (aleurites triloba, lemci), is the most 

 common tree in the ravines. The hoary grey colour 

 of its young leaves, contrasted with the dark green 

 of the older ones, and the adjacent tree ferns, gives 

 a pleasing variety to the whole. These localities 

 are the habitat 'of the scented woods of Fiji, the 

 sandalwood, the bua-bua and the savoo. On rocky 

 clefts the oderiferous and pretty bua, fagraea ber- 

 teriana, and several species of drymispermums abound, 



