THE BOTAJsY OF CHRISTMAS ISLAND. 187 



Distribution Sunderbuns, Andamans, JVfalay Archi- 

 pelago, Polynesia. Seeds of apparently this species sea- 

 drifted to Cocos Island. 



Canavalia ensiformis, De. C. 



Shore. (Andrews). 



This plant, the Kachang Parang of the Malays is only 

 known in cultivation and is a well-known native 

 vegetable. It was probably an escape from cultivation 

 when Andrews collected it. I did not observe it. 



C. obtusifalia var insularis, 



A strong but slender climber covering bushes with 

 a dense mat of foliage. Leaves trifoliate, leaflets ovate 

 obtuse, bases nearly equilateral broad rounded 4-5 

 inches long, 3-J inches wide, petiole 3 inches long, 

 petiolules of lateral leaflets \, of terminal 1 inch long. 

 Raceme 4 or 5 inches long. Flowers opening singly. 

 Calyx -J inch long urnshaped bilobed, upper lobe 

 larger emarginate. Petals dark red rose, standard If 

 inch long f inch wide, oblong obovate retuse, claw and 

 centre at base greenish white. Wings 1^ inch long 

 ^ inch wide oblong obtuse, keel petals broader elliptic 

 oblong. Stamens 10 fertile, anthers rounded ovate dull 

 yellow, style shorter. Pod oblong beaked 4 inches 

 long If inch wide, the rib close to the upper suture, 

 seeds 2-4 subglobose, slightly flattened, dark brown. 



This abundant bean climbing over bushes on the 

 Cemetery road and Phosphate hill differs much in 

 appearance from G. obtusifolia, in the more oblong 

 standard, and in Christmas Island in its red not rose 

 colored petals. In plants cultivated in Singapore the 

 petals were more rose colored. 



Strongylodon ruber, Vogel. 



A climber with slender stems leaves trifoliolate. 

 Flowers red. Pod oblong turgid with large round seeds, 



R. A.Soc, No. j 45, 1905, 



