186 Christmas Island. 



AMAEANTACE^. 



86. Deeringia celosioides, E. Br. 



Everywliere near cliffs. Plowering in August. Elowers red. 

 No. 22. East coast; first inland cliff. No. 114. 

 Distrth. — India, Malaya, Australia. 



87. Celosia argentea, L. 



Elying Eish Cove; introduced. No. 21. Elying Fish Cove; 

 common; December. No. 77. 

 Native name : Buntoot kuching. 

 Distrib. — Tropical Asia and Africa. 



88. Achyranthes aspera, L. 



Eocky point, shore cliffs ; common. Three to four feet high. 

 No. 11. 



Distrib. — Tropics. 



PIPEEACE^. 



89. Peperomia laevifolia, Miq. 



Centre of island ; on fallen trees ; Eebruary, 1898. No. 145. 

 Distrib. — Jaiva. 



90. P. rossi, Eendle, sp. nov. 



Herba parva, carnosula, repens, glabra, foliis oppositis, breviter 

 petiolatis, ellipticis, obtusis, obscure triplinerviis, frequentissime 

 et minute atro-punctulatis ; spicis tenninalibus, crassis, densifloris, 

 folia duplo excedentibus ; bracteolis rotundatis, peltatis ; ovario 

 obtrudente, rotunde-obovoideo, stigmata parvo, punctiformi, sub 

 apice lateraliter inserto ; fructu brunneo, valde exserto, subgloboso, 

 apiculato, pericaipio punctato. 



Shoots 3 to 4 ins. long by about 1^ line greatest thickness; 

 leaves f to 1-^ ins. long by 4 to 7 lines broad, on petioles 2 to 3 lines 

 long. Spikes reaching barely 2 ins. long by 1 line thick ; peduncles 

 less than -^ in. Bracteoles about ^ line in diameter, punctulate 

 like the leaves. Fruit f line long, pericarp scarcely fleshy, covered 

 with numerous small roundish warts. 



The measurements in the above description are taken from a 

 moistened specimen ; the plants shrink considerably on drying. 



Near- the Polynesian P. insularum, Miq., but distinguished by 

 its fleshy habit and elliptical leaves. 



