326 



ST. HELENA 



obliquely linguiform, obtuse crenate, anterior side of the base 

 enlarged, posterior alternate. A pretty small (6-8 inch) species 

 with the habit of adiantum candatum, found indigenous on the 

 tops of the high mountains in the centre of the island. 



I. Asplenium falcatum. Stipes long as the lanceolate, alternately 

 pennate firm smooth fronds, three-sided, three-grooved, pretty, 

 smooth and black. Leaflets short petioled, falcate lanceolate 

 lobate ; lobes and fine ensiform apices serrate. A most beau- 

 tiful species growing in small tufts on the top of Sandy Bay ridge 

 to be about 2 feet high. 



I. Asplenium proemor sum. 



I. Asplenium filamentosum. R. Stipes longer than the thin 

 ovate, alternately tripennatifid frond, channelled, base clothed 

 with long, black chaffy scales ; pumice remote ; leaflets pinnati- 

 fid ; segments short linguiform serrulate obtuse. A stout 

 species of from 2 to 6 feet high ; a native of the south face of 

 Diana's Peak. 



I. Aster glutinosum. R. (Compare with hertus.~) Shrubby, ten- 

 der parts woolly. Leaves from cuneate to spatulate ; apices 

 rounded and grossly serrated, fleshly veguose with very pro- 

 minent veins underneath, pedicels terminal ultimately axillary 

 subsolitary, length of or longer than the leaves, one-flowered. 

 A native of the most naked barren rocks on the south side of 

 the island, where it grows to be a middling-sized shrub. The 

 clammy leaves are fragrant. Bractes scattered over the long 

 clammy peduncles, and of a long clavate shape. The flowers 

 are large, pure white. Goats are said to be fond of it and while 

 browsing on it the clammy exudation thereof is collected on 

 their beards. (See history of Mastich.) 



E. A triplex triangularis. Triangular atriplex. 



E. Atropa physaloides. Blue-flowered atropa. 



E. Bambusa Arundinaceae. Common bamboo. 



E. Barringtonia speciosa. Laurel-leaved Barringtonia. 



Beatsonia. R. Pentandria monogynia. Generic character. Calyx 

 five-toothed. Corol five-petalled, campanulate. Germ 

 superior, one-celled contaning many ovula attached to the two 

 opposite sides of the cells. Style bifid. Stigmas globular. 

 Capsule one-celled, two-valved. Seeds a few. Named in 

 honour of Col. Alexander Beatson, Governor of St. Helena. 



I. Beatsonia portulace folia. R. St. Helena tea, the vernacular 

 name on that island, where it grows on the naked rocky moun- 

 tains and hills on the south side, to be a very famous shrub of a 

 middling size. Trunk short, soon dividing into numerous 

 branches crowded with innumerable small delicate vellous 

 subarticulate brittle ramuli. Bark of the old ligneous parts, 

 dark brown and pretty smooth. Leaves opposite sub-rotund, 

 fleshy, convex and smooth above, hollow underneath ; size of 

 a large pin's head, etc., almost exactly as in Portulaca quadrifida 

 even to the quartern florat leaves. Petroles short stem-clasping. 

 Flowers terminal, solitary, sessile in the bosom of the four 



