BOTANY OF TEE LACCADIVES. 291 



There are, it should be noted, none of the shrubby wild species 

 reported from Kadamum, the whole island, excepting the coast 

 zone, which has, however, a very distinct sea-fence of Pandanus, 

 &c., being under cultivation, 



The cultivated or planted species are numerous, reaching a total of 

 42, and include the following, not to be met with in any of the other 

 islands: — Anona muricata (one tree); Hibiscus Rosa- sinensis ; 

 Murraya Koenigii {carefully cultivated); Citrus decumana (one 

 ree on the island) ; Mangifera indica (only one tree) ; Arachis 

 hypogcea; Psidium Guayava ; Eugenia Jambos; Eugenia Jamholana; 

 Lawsonia alha : Luffa aegyptiaca ; Momordica Charantia', Cucurhita 

 maxima ; Capsicum frutescens ; Phyllanthus didichus ; Ficus 

 nitida, 



Calophyllum inopliyllum and Terminalia Catappa are planted, 

 though both occur indigenously as well; JEJgle Marmelos is perhaps a 

 species originally deliberately planted ; Datura fastuosa is scarce 

 here, Mr. Fleming only noting it once and then finding it cultivated 

 in a gai'deu; Gossypium barhadense is cultivated pretty frequently 

 and grows well; Sorghum vulgave grows well, but is very little 

 cultivated. The most striking features in the vegetation of Minikoi, 

 as compared with the other Laccadive Islands, are the presence of 

 thick sheets of the gelatinous Nostoc on the ground at the south-west 

 end of the island, where also the trunks of the trees are encrusted 

 with lichen, and covered with moss ; the number of Fungi present ; 

 and the presence of Algae on the reefs of the surf-beaten weather- 

 side of the island. Of these last unfortunately no specimens were 

 collected. 



Two tables are appended to this topographical sketch ; in the 

 first the various components of the Laccadive Group are shown ; this 

 table is a modification of the similar one prepared in 1834 by 

 Lieutenant Wood {Jo urn. Boy. Geogr. Soc, vi., 30). In the 

 second table, in order to facilitate reference, tht spelling adopted 

 by the various authors vvho have mentioned or described the 

 Archipelago is given ; the first column contains the forms adopted 

 by the writer. 



