XXXVI 



BOTANY OF SOCOTEA. 



of the vegetation, I do not exclude them from the total for analysis. In the 

 descriptive flora which follows, all plants introduced as well as indigenous which 

 were found are recorded. The following table indicates the distribution of 

 Socotran plants amongst the several groups of the vegetable kingdom : — 



Table showing the general composition of the flora of Socotra. 





Total Species 



known from 



Socotra. 



Endemic 

 Species. 



Total Genera 



known from 



Socotra. 



Endemic 

 Genera. 



Orders. 



Phanerogamne 



Dicotyledones Polypel 

 ,, Gamop 

 ,, Monoel 



Monocotyledones 

 Cryptogama? Vasculares . 

 MuscineiB . 



Musci 



Hepaticoe 

 Chavacerc 

 Fungi 



Basidiomycetes 



Uredinea? 



Ascomycctes Lichenes 

 ,, Pyrenom 

 ,, Discomy 



Phycomycetes 

 Alga 



RhodophycesB 



Phreophyceae 



Chlorophycese 

 Schizophyta 



Cyanophycece 



Scliizomycotes 

 Diatomaceae 



alse 



3talfe 



damydc 



ycetes 

 cetes 



X 





565 



19 



16 



"3 



157 



22 



"h 



"25 



189 

 213 



63 

 100 



19 



11 

 5 

 3 



13 



1 



130 



10 

 2 

 1 



"5 

 8 

 9 



9 



2 



25 



206 



2 



8 



1 



80 



"l 



"l 



61 



105 



24 



16 



2 



6 

 2 

 1 



2 

 1 

 69 

 6 

 2 



1 



' 1 



314 



12 

 14 



1 



68 



14 



"6 



14 



100 



125 



36 



53 



12 



10 

 4 

 1 



11 

 1 



47 

 6 

 2 

 1 



4 

 5 

 5 



"4 



2 



14 



20 

 1 



5 



12 



2 



1 



1 





81 



33 

 25 

 12 

 11 











817 



817 



299 



299 



443 



443 



21 



21 







The flora of a continental island such as Socotra is in the main interesting in 

 connection with the geographical distribution of plants and the working out of 

 the history of their migrations over the face of the globe. But there are a 

 number of special features in individual Socotran plants well deserving of 

 attention, and I may briefly notice some of them. 



Of plants striking as having brilliant flowers may be noted the Adenium, 

 from which Aden is said to derive its name ; a bulbiferous Begonia, which has 

 been introduced into horticulture; a fragrant Crinum also in cultivation; species 

 of Exacum, one of which, a lovely little annual, has been successfully grown in 

 Europe; bright-coloured species of Ruellia, Jasminum, &c. 



On morphological grounds there falls to be noticed in the first place Den- 

 drosicyos socotrana, known to the inhabitants as the camhane, gamhen, ovgamka, 

 a new genus of Cucurbitacese. This plant differs from all previously known 

 members of the family in being a tree with a stem often four or five feet in 

 diameter at the base, rapidly tapering, and forming a very soft juicy wood, 

 crowned at the summit with a tuft of twisted and straggling branches. Nor 



