204 THE BOTANY OF CHRISTMAS ISLAND. 



ASCLEPIADE<E. 



Hoy a Aldrichii, Hemsley. 



A lofty climber, stems covered with pale bark. 

 Leaves elliptic or ovate fleshy 4 to 6 inches long light 

 green acute base cuncate, petiole -J inch long. Peduncle 

 about 6 inches long. Umbel of flowers 2 J inches across, 

 pedicels -£ inch long flowers over J inch across. Petals 

 white or pink. Corona of stamens pink or deep purple 

 pink. Fruit 6 inches long J inch through common all 

 over the island. Endemic flowering October to 

 January. One of the prettiest plants in the island. The 

 flowers are fragrant in the evening. Seed plumed. 



Boragine^e. 



Cordid subcordata, Lam. A hard wooded rather low straggling 

 tree, with ovate leaves and tubular orange flowers. 



Fruit dispersed by sea. Sea coast on the beach Fly- 

 ing Fish Cove and beyond Rocky point. 



Distribution East Coast of Africa, India, Malay 

 Peninsula and Archipelago to Polynesia, a typical coral 

 island tree. 



The heart wood is light to dark sepia brown the rings 

 being darker wavy and irregular, rays fine and close, pores 

 scattered scanty. Weight 68 lbs. 



Toumefortia argentea, Linn. fit. 



A large shrub or tree with rough bark, silvery leaves 

 and cymes of small white flowers. 



Common on the sea cliffs all round the island. Smith 

 Point, Flying Fish Cove, Waterfall etc. The flowers 

 are fertilized by Odynerus polyphemus Kirb. 



I saw one plant growing on a rock with large twisted 

 corky roots as thick as a mans body reaching to the sand, 

 after the manner of Ficus roots. 



Jour. Straits Branch 



