68 



(rhizomorpha), is an interesting fungus to the Euro- 

 pean, and a useful one to the Fijian. 



There are comparatively few genera of palms indi- 

 genous to Fiji, hut the several species are numerously 

 found and well represented. The niu sou (areca or 

 kentia exorrhiza) is a tall graceful palm, frequently 

 rising to a height of SO feet in favourable situations. 

 It is most common in low-lying districts, hut may 

 he found on the tops of the highest mountains. Prit- 

 chardia pacifica, the niu masie of the Fijians, and 

 the fan palm of the settlers, although not rare, 

 cannot he said to abound in a natural or wild 

 state. It is a handsome, and in some respects a 

 useful species. Some species of ptychospermum, 

 the cage-cake (pr. thangethake), and the balaka, 

 are very handsome trees. One or two species of 

 the genus attain the dimensions of the niu sail, 

 while others do not exceed the size of a stout 

 cane. These latter are found in the dense virgin 

 forests of the wettest parts of Fiji, and are common 

 from sea level ta the mountain tops. A kind of sago 

 palm (sagus vitiensis), soyo is not uncommon in 

 some of these islands. It is most abundant on low- 

 Lying swampy land, on the hanks of the Navua 

 and the Wai Manu rivers in Viti Levu, and occa- 

 sionally met with in other islands. It attains a 

 height of about 35 feet, and is a strong growing 

 picturesque tree. The inflorescence is a large terminal 

 panicle, 10 feet or so in height, and about 7 feet in 

 diameter at the base. After flowering and bearing 

 seed the tree dies. 



Although the leeward side of the large islands is an 

 open grass country, yet there arc comparatively few 

 kinds of grasses indigenous to Fiji. However, the 



