74 VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. chap. hi. 



tin case was soon filled. Orchids were my chief objects of 

 search, and though I saw but a few small ones, and only one 

 which at first I thought was a calanthe, but afterwards found 

 to be a Bletia ; yet I found myself amidst so many new and 

 beautiful plants of other species, that I knew not which way 

 to turn; I was almost bewildered, and my companions seemed 

 to find as much enjoyment as myself. My attention was 

 first attracted by two new kinds of dracsenas, — one, Draccena 

 Mauriciensis, peculiar to the island, and the other, D. 

 tessellata. Then there were new and elegant ferns in great 

 perfection. But one of my companions soon surpassed all 

 our discoveries by finding amongst the ferns, and near the 

 ground, on the stem of a tree which was thicker than my 

 arm, six or eight thick, leathery, fleshy flowers, and a great 

 many buds about the size and shajDe of a fig. Some of the 

 buds just opening appeared like a wine-glass with a vandyck 

 rim, and others, more open, appeared like the most beautiful 

 Anoectochilus, the flower five or six inches across, and pre- 

 senting a dark-green velvety ground, with pink and lilac spots ; 

 and until I satisfied myself that it was the actual blossom 

 of the tree itself, I thought it was really an Anoectochilus. 

 We marked the place, and charged the natives to take 

 especial notice, so that we might find it again on our descent. 

 However, we soon saw many others, and became satisfied 

 that we had only met with a curiosity without making a 

 discovery. I brought specimens of this flower to M. Bojer, 

 who said it was a most curious plant, the Mithridatea tani- 

 burissa; and that after the open flower was fertilised it closed 

 up again, the seams all united, and it swelled into a fruit 

 as large as a small gourd or pumpkin, filled with bright red 

 berries like a pomegranate. He said it was vulgarly called 

 monkey apple. 



We kept on our way, making to ourselves new discoveries 

 and perpetually startled by new wonders, until about eleven, 



