70 COLONIAL REPORTS MISCELLANEOUS. 



alata, Dichrostachys niitans, Zizyplius imn-ronata, 

 Hymenocardia species, Tenninalia macro ptei-a, a species of 

 Psorosperinum, Coin cordifolia, Adansonia digitata (Baobal) 

 tree), Eriodendron anfractuosum (the silk-cotton tree; occurs as 

 a stunted variety in the typical savannahs) ; the dry zone 

 mahogany (Khaya senegalensis), the dry zone cedar (Pseudo- 

 cedrela /\otxcliyi), Blighia sapida (frequently cultivated), Pann- 

 <i rhi in c ii ratellae folium (edible fruit), P. Mobola (ditto), 

 Anogeissus leiocarpus (the " chew stick ' tree), Eugenia 

 oiraricnxix, Crossopteryx Kotschyana, the shea-butter tree (ttuty- 

 rospermum Parkii), Kigelia pinnata, Vitex megaphylla, V. 

 cu.ncdtfi (fruit much sought after by elephants), Bridelia 

 micrantha, a species of Antidesma, the fan-palm (Borassus flabel- 

 H for mix var. aetli iopi-ca), the wild date palm (Phoenix reclinata), 

 and a small species of spiny bamboo, probably Oxytenanthera 

 dbyssinica. 



Amongst shrubs and herbaceous plants the most characteristic 

 species met with are : 



The wild custard apple (Anon a senegalensis), the Mexican 



poppy (Argemone me.ricana, generally found as a weed in waste 



places near villages and farms), Cleome cil/ata, Gynandropsis 



pentaphyUa (also a weed), Cochlospermum tinctorium (very com- 



mon), several fibre-yielding weeds belonging to the genera Sida, 



I'/'ciKf, Hibixcux, Triumfetta (T . rliomboidea and T. cordifolia), 



and Corchorus, as well as several species of Indigofera, Tepliroma, 



Crotalaria, and Desmodium. The Combretaceae are represented 



by Co inhrcl it in nii-ciiioxiuu, ('. fiixcinn and (.' . inucronatum ; the 



Melastomaceae by Dissotis pro strata and Tristemma hirtum ; the 



Ilubiaceae by various species of Oldenlandia, Sarcocephalus escu- 



lentus (a dwarf form of the Kishia, a timber tree of the evergreen 



forests), and Gardenia sp. probably G. terni folia (very 



common); the Compositae by various small weeds be- 



longing to the geneva Widens, Vernonia, Ageratum, 



Emilia, as well as Spilanthes acmella; the Asclepiadere 



by Calotropis procera; the Nyctaginaceae by Boerhaavia 



l>:niicul<itii and B. ascendeii*: the Euphorbiaeeae by species 



of Euphorbia (the cosmopolitan weed, E. pilulifcra, E. prostrata, 



and another very succulent prostrate form), PJii/Uaathi/x, and 



Microdesmis puberula ; the Taccaceae by Tacca : the Liliaceae by 



Aloe Biirtt-ri, Glorioxa rin '.< : ns, Asparagus africana*, a species of 



Sansevieria, and S mil ax Kraussiana, which from its straggling 



habit is a great nuisance, and frequently trips one up when walk- 



ing through the open forests; the Orchidaceae by Lissochilus 



/axe it*, and L. He udelolii ; the Amaryllidaea by Criinun </if/<ui- 



tci/ni, species of HficmnntJi itx and Hymenocallis senegambica. 



The grasses are a very dominant type in these forests, and are 

 represented, amongst others, by species of Eragrostis, Andro- 

 /ni/on, Paiiii-uni, &c., and the Cyperaceae by Bulbostylis barbata 

 and 11. hinirc/iK. 



One of the main distinctions between the mixed, deciduous 

 forests and the savannah forests is the abundance in the latter of 

 the grasses. Plants of that order occupy a very subordinate 

 place in the former, whereas in the savannahs they are far and 

 away the dominant group, and play a very important part in 



