12 FLORA OF ST. CROIX AND THE VIRGIN ISLANDS. 



Centrosema, Teramnus, Yigna, Khynchosia, and others; grasses, as Lap- 

 pago, Aristida, Sporobolus, Eleusine, Dactyloctenium, and Eragrostis ; 

 or Synanthereae, as Elephantopus, Distreptus, Bidens, and Pectis. Whilst 

 all these latter forms flower during the greater part of the year, the beau- 

 tiful Convolvulacea3, such as Ipomoea fastigiata, Nil, umlellata, dissecta, 

 violacea, and others, are in blossom only during the winter months, from 

 December to February. 



In some places that are moist enough, sedges and semi-aquatic plants 

 will be seen growing ; in a few rivulets which contain water all the year 

 round, and which are limited to Vieques and St. Croix, a few aquafic 

 forms occur, such as Ecliinodorus cordifolius, Lemna minor, Typlia an- 

 gustifolia, and Nymphcca ampla. 



The pastures, which occupy a considerable extent of the land, are 

 either artificial, planted with Guinea-grass (Panicum maximum), a 

 perennial plant, and, like most of the cultivated West India plants, in- 

 troduced from the Old World, or natural, covered with various forms of 

 indigenous Graininea3 as well as low shrubs and trees, that have con- 

 tinually to be cleared away to prevent the laud becoming overrun by 

 them. The artificial pastures as a rule are fenced in, and often protected 

 against the dry season by the planting of Thibet-trees ( Acacia Lebbek), now 

 commonly naturalized everywhere; the natural ones, on the contrary, are 

 generally open and abandoned to the cattle, whilst the artificial ones are 

 cut regularly, and the stock is not allowed to enter them. 



The grasses composing the natural pastures are several species of Pa- 

 nicum, Paspalum, Dactyloctenium, and Sporobolus; some, as Tricholcena 

 insularis, being very bitter and unfit for herbage. The roaming about 

 of the cattle everywhere effectually prevents the re-establishment of trees 

 or woods, which, for climatic reasons, would be desirable in many places ; 

 for the young buds are destroyed by sheep and goats, which no doubt 

 have contributed largely to deteriorating even the still existing woods. 



Around dwellings are found planted and naturalized most of the plants 

 now common to nearly all tropical countries, some fruit-bearing, as 

 Tamarindus indica, Mangifera indica, Carica Papaya, Persea gratissima, 

 Crescentia Cujete, Melicocca bijuga; others ornamental, as Poinciana regia, 

 Calliandra saman, Ccesalpinia pulcherrima, and others Actual gardens 

 are now very rare, flowers being mostly cultivated in pots or boxes. 

 Some few vegetables of colder climates are cultivated in shady places 

 where water is abundant, such as salad, radishes, cabbage, and others. 



In waste places are found most of the tropical weeds, as Ricinus com- 



