1 69 1.] PANDANUS OE SCKEW-PINE. 103 



It being as one may imagine, all shady in the middle, the 

 Branches are within-side like dry Poles, which seem to he 



the accompanying descriptive text. The title on the plate is as follows : 

 "Pavilion Arbre, nouvellement decouvert." Leguat's Pavilion has 

 been identified with the screw-pine, growing in abundance everywhere 

 on this island from the sea-shore to the highest points. Prof. Balfour 

 ■writes {Phil. Trans.., vol. cxlviii, p. 3 1.2) : " Every visitor to Rodriguez will 

 be struck at once by the peculiar features impressed on the landscape 

 by the prevalence of screw-pines. They are indeed the physiognomic 

 plants, and far outstrip in numbers any other species ; but it is re- 

 markable that, though individually so numerous, specifically the family is 

 not rich, there being only two species of Pandanus on the island — P. 

 heterocarpus and P. Icindfolius, both peculiar and very distinct from 

 any other of the indigenous Mascarene forms. Three other specimens 

 have been registered by various authorities ; they are P. odoratissimm, 

 P. utilis, and P. imiricatns." 



P. lieterocarims, the species to which Leguat's tree may be referred, 

 is very variable, and the popular names indicate this — Vacoa cale rouge, 

 V. cale blanc, V. sac, V. poteau, V. parasol, and V. male, are all applied 

 to it according to its habit of growth, and the various uses to which its 

 leaves and branches are put by the Creoles. "When on sites exposed to 

 the -wind it has a stunted habit, the branches are few, thick, and 

 short, and the leaves also are short and erect. In such situations 

 it is known as the Vacoa cale, and the inhabitants make a distinc- 

 tion between two varieties according as the head, peduncle, and 

 united parts are red or are greenish yellow or yellow. The former 

 they style rouge, the latter hlanc. If the tree grows in suitable soil 

 or in a sheltered position where it has room to develop its branches 

 properly, then it forms a dense and compact dome, and the branches 

 droop downwards so far as almost to conceal the stem, and it 

 is then known as Vacoa parasol. When in any situation the tree 

 develops a trunk of a good size, and is allowed to grow until 

 the wood is hard and firm to the centre, and is capable of being 

 used as a post for a house, then the tree is called P'. poteau. The 

 name V. sac is given to the young plants when the leaves are long and 

 broad, and may be made into bags such as are used in Mauritius for 

 sugar. V. male is of course the male tree, known by the inhabitants as 

 not bearing fruit. 



V. temdfolius (Vacoa chevron) is a much smaller plant, with narrow 

 delicate leaves and a few large druped fruits. It is easily distinguished 

 from the foregoing, and is confined to the higher parts of the island 

 and the upper parts of the valleys. (Balfour, op. ciL, p. 379.) 



In the large palm-house in the Kew Gardens there is a fine specimen 



