Ixxiv Appendix. 



an orange tree, and found a path leading up tlie face of the hill. On reaching 

 the top I found that the crest was not over a foot wide in many places, and 

 that on the other side was a little valley, a tributary of the Yallee de la Reine, 

 full, apparently, of bamboos, and therefore not inviting a descent. Along the 

 crest is to be found abundance of a curious little OpJiioglossu7ii about an inch 

 high in the larger specimens ; also good specimens of the universal Vandellia 

 Crustacea. About half a mile further up the ridge, the valley to the right 

 begins to show some variety of vegetation ; there are sevei-al fine trees of pua 

 (Carissa grandis, But.), Weinmannias, Rhus apopi, and one species of 

 Cyrtandra with large flowers and small leaves, which is, perhaps, different 

 from the common ones found further up the mountain. There are also several 

 good ferns to be found here. About a mile further on the path led alongside 

 of a precipice, which forms one of the sides of the deep Vallee de la Reine, 

 bare of vegetation in consequence of fires. Here are those large rambling 

 Lycopodiums in great abimdance, a curious Restiaceous (?) plant with leaves so 

 exactly like those of an Iris that before I saw the fruit I thought it must be 

 a Lihulia, several Carices, two or three species or vaiieties of Metrosideros 

 lucida, two species or varieties of Vaccinium, Ai'throjjodium sp., erroneously 

 called cirrhaium (a very rare plant), and Schizcea forsteri, and many other 

 plants. Along the side of the valley he will see Commersonia echinnta, Grewia 

 malloGOcca, and perhaps one or two other plants resembling them, Aplonia 

 costafa, and many other trees. On the opposite side of the valley, to the left, 

 near the highest point of the range, I found the only specimen I have seen of 

 a Euphorbiaceous tree, with cordate downy leaves, and the female flowers 

 strongly resembling Stillingia. 



Following on the side of the precipice, I came at last to the commence- 

 ment of the bushy top of the mountain. Just before I entered the wood 

 I found, on a tree of Dodoncea viscosa, two orchids, which I have never seen 

 anywhere else, and, which, I believe, nobody else has ever succeeded in 

 finding. At the time I discovered it the tree was quite covered with the 

 plants. They are two of the smallest orchideous epiphytes I ever saw ; the 

 most abundant consisted of a green root only, of a triangular or doubly-keeled 

 shape, running along and closely adhering to the bark, just in the way of the 

 roots of Gunnia ; the flowers were very small and inconspicuous. The other 

 had leaves like a Gamya, but the flowers were almost invisible, and the scape 

 was covered with very large foliaceous bracts. As I fortunately preserved the 

 only two flowering plants in spirit, you will be able to determine the genera 

 from the specimens. 



I had now entered the damp bush surrounding the top of the mountain — 

 the richest locality for plants that I know of in Tahiti — and eveiy step 

 added something new or rare to my collection. Here are to be found together 



