576 A NATURALIST IN THE PACIFIC 



leaves of the stem and yields woody fibre to the root. The exorhizal 

 portion in some cases, as in Barringtonia acutangula, splits into four parts 

 during germination. Mr. Miers compares this seed-structure with that of 

 Rhizophora, employing the same terms, "neorhiza" for the internal portion 

 which forms the seedling, and " exorhiza " for the external portion which 

 merely nourishes it. However, I may add that the exorhizal portion in 

 Rhizophora, as shown in Chapter XXX., is now regarded as formed by the 

 coalesced cotyledons, and is termed the " cotyledonary body "; so that by 

 implication the corresponding part of a Barringtonia seed should be re- 

 garded from the same standpoint. 



It may be apposite to notice here that Barringtonia racemosa displays 

 one capacity which does not appear to belong to B. speciosa. The branches 

 stuck in wet soil throw out roots and establish themselves. This capacit)- 

 of vegetative reproduction is turned to account by the Fijians, who make 

 " live-fences " of this tree in wet localities. 



NOTE 51 (page 135) 



On a Common Inland Species of Sc/Evola in Vanua Levu, Fiji 



This is a tall shrub, or small tree, nine or ten feet high, which corre- 

 sponds with S. floribunda. Gray, as far as Seemann describes it. It has 

 small, black, juic/ drupes, well suited for dispersal by birds, having no 

 " suberous " mesocarp as in the shore species (S. Koenigii), and no capacity 

 for dispersal by currents. It grows, much like the Hawaiian inland spe- 

 cies, in exposed situations where there is plenty of light, as on mountain- 

 peaks, at the borders of forests, in open-wooded districts, and in the 

 plains, and is to be found at all elevations from near the sea up to the 

 highest mountain summit (3,500 feet) when the station is suitable. I 

 noticed it on the higher slopes and frequently on the tops of nearly all the 

 principal mountains that I climbed. It is evident that birds carry the 

 "stones" from one mountain-peak to another, and no doubt they explain 

 the presence of the species in Tonga. Dr. Seemann speaks of it as a 

 beach plant in Viti Levu. The plant familiar to me in Vanua Levu is 

 only on very rare occasions to be seen as an intruder in the beach-flora. 



NOTE 52 (page 137) 

 On the Capacity for Dispersal bv Currents of Colubrina 



OPPOSITIFOLIA, AN InLAND HAWAIIAN TrEE 



The seeds in my experiments sank within ten days ; but they are not 

 readily detached from the fruit, as in the case of the buoyant seeds of the 

 littoral species (C. asiatica). The fruits, which may float for a week or two, 

 break down, as Hillebrand observes, tardily and imperfectly, and could 

 give but little assistance to dispersal by water. 



