THE BOTANY OF CHRISTMAS ISLAND. 263 



Alcurites moluecdnus. 

 Quercus 2 species. 

 Erythrina probably indica. 

 C anew alia lineata. 

 Barringtonia 2 species? 



and several other indeterminable seeds. Most of these were in 

 good condition, and would probably have readily germinated 

 but of all, only two species are established on the island, viz. 

 Guilandma bonduc, and Aleurites moluccanus. Mr. A. S. 

 Keating in Holmans travels quoted by Mr. Hemsley (Vo\ . 

 H. M. S. Challenger Botany of South Eastern Moluccas p. 114) 

 records also the "Soap-tree" (probably Sapindus) Castor-oil 

 {Ricinus communis), and timber from Java and Australia and 

 suggests that the seeds were first drifted to the Australian 

 coasts by the North-West monsoon and then back again by 

 the South-East trade wind. In view of the fact that there 

 are no plants on the island nor seeds in these lists at all 

 characteristic of Australia, and the abundance of specimens of 

 almost all kinds mentioned in Mr. Ross' collection and the 

 absence of the Australian and Polynesian forms occurring in 

 Christmas Island, viz Inocarpus edulis, Ischoemum foliosum and 

 Finbristylis cymosa (represented in Cocos by the Malayan 



F. glomerata,) I should doubt this very much, in spite of the 

 trees of blue gum wood of Australia said to have drifted there. 



All the plants recorded from Cocos Island in Forbes' list 

 (introduced plants excepted) occur in Christmas Island, except 

 Triumfetta procumbens, Guilandina Bonduc (replaced by 



G. Bonducella, Ochrosia parviflora (represented by 0. Ackeringae) 

 Dicliptera Burmanui, (D. macleari in Christmas) Fleurya 

 aestuans (Urera Gandichandiana) represented by Fl. ruderalis 

 Gaud. Stenotap>hrum lepturoide (said to be identical with 

 S. americanum by Hemsley) and Finbristylis glomeratus. 



There are however in Christmas Island three noticeable 

 plants of Australian and Polynesian origin only, Inocarpus 

 edulis, Ischoemum foliosum and Finbristylis cymosa. These 

 it is most probable arrived by sea at Christmas Island. It 

 would indeed be unlikely for any bird except sea birds to fly 

 successfully for that distance, nor is it probable that even 



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



