THE BOTANY OF CHRISTMAS ISLAND. 181 



probably not ripe but the seeds are hard and the 

 embryo firm in texture. They are remarkably stoall 

 for a Grewia. The tree was commencing to flower 

 shortly before we left the island and seems abundant 

 along the Cemetery road as far as N. E. point, along 

 the shore terrace. 



Gr. insularis, n. sp. 



Tree about 20 feet tall, shedding its leaves after 

 fruiting, twigs densely stellate hairy. Leaves ovate 

 subacute with a rounded base, crenulate 3 inches long 

 2-2^ inch wide sprinkled all over but especially on the 

 nerves with stellate hairs, petiole densely stellate 

 pubescent, ^ inch long. Racemes axillary -^ inch long 

 in pairs or three densely stellate pubescent. Flowers in 

 umbels of 3 on each raceme, pedicels \ inch long. Buds 

 oblong pubescent. Sepals linear oblong woolly pubes- 

 cent ^ inch long yellow. Petals oblong ^ of the length 

 of the sepals pubescent at the base. Stamens f the 

 length of the sepals. Fruit not seen. North East 

 point, fairly common. I cannot identify this with any 

 other described species. 



RUTACE.E. 



Acronychia Andretusi, Baker. fiL Monogr. Christmas Island 

 P. 174. 



A small tree attaining a height of about 20 feet and 

 sometimes more, bark pale. . Leaves bright green 

 trifoliate flowers in short axillary panicles. Fruit a 

 small pale pink berry. 



Common, Smith point, Cemetery road. Endemic. 

 The fruit doubtless eaten by birds. 



Meliace.e. 

 Melia azederach, L. 



This tree is evidently introduced ; the biggest speci- 

 mens occurring at the police quarters close to Cassia 



R. A. Soc, No. 4*, 1905. 



