73 



succumbs under the strain, decays, and its place is left 

 hollow. Some other kinds increase by dropping root- 

 lets from their branches, and spread until they cover 

 large areas of land, and it is impossible to say, with 

 certainty, which is the original from whence all have 

 sprung. 



The flora of Fiji is essentially tropical. A few species 

 belonging to a temperate one may however be met 

 with on the mountain tops. Its general character is 

 Polynesian, with some affinities to the flora of Austra- 

 lia and the Malay Islands on the western and north- 

 western sides of the group. These resemblances 

 decrease towards America on the east, and the northern 

 parts of New Zealand on the south. 



An alphabetical list of the plants will be found in 

 the appendix, and also a list of the genera under the 

 order to which each belongs. 



