256 THE BOTANICAL MAGAZINE. [Vol, xxix. No. 346. 



Nom. Jap. Ameriwa-katana. 

 Distr. Tropical America. 



Of the 59 species in the foregoing table, 40 reached the island 

 by natural means, such as oceanic currents and birds, the remain- 

 ing ones indicated with asterisk are inadvertently introduced by 

 man. 



The flora of the island is extremely poor, Gramineae, Euphor- 

 biaceae and Leguminosae being larger families represented in 

 collection. Of the remaining" families of vascular plants there 

 are none that contain more than five species, and the majority 

 are represented by but one or two. 



The vegetation of the island is altogether derivative, and 

 apparently of comparative^ recent origin ; and the floral char- 

 acter is distinctly that of an oceanic coral island. The scarcity 

 of the number of species in each family and also of the total 

 number of species lend support to this view. 



In conclusion, I wish to express my heartiest thanks to 

 Prof. Dr. J. Matsumura, to whom I am indebted for his sug- 

 gestions. I wish also to express my thanks to Mr. A. Matsu- 

 mura of the Anthropological Institute of the Tokyo University, 

 for his kindness in giving me many fine photographs of the 

 island taken by him. 



Literature. 



Chasiisso, A. et Schlechtendal, D. De plantis in Expeditoine speculatoria Koman- 



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 Mertess, Notices botaniques sur iles Carolines, (Luetke, Voyage, vol. Ill) 1836. 

 Exdlicher, S. L. Synopsis Florae insularnm oceani australis. Wiener Mus. Annal. 



vol. I (1836) pp. 129-190. 

 Kittlitz, F. H. v. Yegetationsansichten von Kiistenlandern und Inseln des Stillen 



Ozeans. 1850-52. 

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Erdkunde zu Berlin. Bde. IX. 553. (1882). 

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III. (1884) s. s. 133-134. 

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Jahrb. IX. (1888) s. 189. 

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