THE BOTANY OF CHRISTMAS ISLAND. 191 



It is however otherwise identical with Malayan forms. 

 The fruit is sea borne, and also disseminated over the 

 island by crabs which eat off the outer coat. Occasion- 

 ally I saw large quantities of seeds collected together 

 but by what animal I do not know, possibly by fruit 

 bats, which in Singapore are very fond of the fruit and 

 carry it far away. 



Distribution. Most tropical countries but often 

 planted, wild only on sea shores. 



The wood is very hard, dark red with a satiny lustre, 

 rays fine pores few and large, a very superior timber to 

 any samples I have seen from the Malay Peninsula. 



Comb ret am actmiimtNm, Roxb. 



A woody climber common on the shore terraces and 

 on the plateau. I saw neither fruit or flowers of it. 

 The fruit is described as four angled and oblong, like 

 that of Combretum trifoliatum which I have found floa- 

 ting in the sea off Singapore. 



Distribution India and Malay islands. 



Quisqaalis indica, h. A woody and thorny climber, with 

 bunches of red flowers. Flying Fish Cove on rocks 

 above the b ly towards the Magistrate's House, also on 

 North East Point, collected also by Andrews. Undoubt- 

 edly wild. 



The fruits are probably sea borne, they are somewhat 

 lanceolate in s'lape acuminate and angled. Distrib. 

 Burmah, Malay Peninsula, on the East Coast. 



Gyrocarpus an&rijsanvf, Jacq. 



A very large thick stemmed tree with grey rather 

 smooth bark, and soft white wood with very distant rings. 

 Leaves clustered on the ends of the branches rounded 

 ovate acuminate long petioled. Flowers unisexual in 

 large cymes, apetalous, calyx 4-7 partite, stamens 4-7 in 

 male flower, calyx 2 partite in female. Nut bony with 

 two long spathulate wings 3 inches long. Common and 



B, A. Soc, No. 45, 1905. 



