Botanical Geography. | 459 
‘or occupied by lagunes, has a seven months’ rainy season. 
- The greater part of the isiand is in consequence covered 
with moist tropical forests bordered in the interior by elevated 
grass savannahs. In the south a scanty thorny vegetation 
prevails. The most remarkable product of the forests is 
the ‘travellers’ tree,’ Aavenala, a plantain, the fan-shaped’ 
leaves of which are hollowed out at their point of insertion 
into a spacious cavity in which water is caught and retained, 
so that when pricked they give out a refreshing fluid. 
Here is also found the aquatic Ouzirandra or lattice’ 
plant, the leaves of which consist almost entirely of a 
perforated lace-like network. There are also epiphytic 
Orchids with enormous flowers, tree-ferns, impenetrable — 
lianes, heaths, bamboos, pitcher-plants, MWéesenthes, and a 
few palms. 
_ The flora of the Mascarene Islands (Mauritius and 
Bourbon) is allied to that of Madagascar. That of the- 
Seychelles is distinguished by the double cocoa-nut, Lodoicea - ~ 
| Seychellarum, with its gigantic fruits. 
The Sandwich Islands enjoy a climate resembling that 
of Jamaica. In Hawan plantations of the cocoa-nut palm— 
and bread-fruit alternate with sugar-cane fields ; and above 
the cultivated plain a belt of wood surrounds the volcanoes. 
The commonest native tree, an Acacia knownas ‘koa, raises 
its crown of leaves above a dense thicket of evergreen 
underwood. ‘The once abundant sandal-wood has already 
_ become scarce from the demand for its timber. 
- The flora of the Feejee Islands approaches nearest to 
that of the Indian monsoon region. To the summits of 
their basaltic mountains they are ‘covered with the most 
luxuriant tropical vegetation. The most important food- 
plants are the plantain, cocoa-nut palm, bread-fruit, and in 
the cultivated fields tapioca (Arum esculentum), yams, Tacca, 
and batatas. | 
New Caledonia exhibits in its flora a resemblance to 
that of Australia. Its woods are destitute of undergrowth ; 
ni NY 
» 
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