268 THE BOTANY OF CHRISTMAS ISLAND. 



Island. Several of the weeds are dispersed by their adhesive 

 fruits such as Syneclrella and Paspalum conjugatum but 

 these evidently did not reach Christmas Island without the 

 aid of human beings and are not yet to be found in any parts 

 of the island which is not constantly visited by man. 



The following list contains all the plants exclusive of 

 weeds which seem to have reached Christmas Island by 

 adhering to the feathers of birds. 



Triumfetta suffruticosa, A shrub with capsules covered 

 with hooked bristles very adhesive. Probably 

 brought by sea-birds, as it was abundant in two places 

 where the birds nested. 



Dicliptera Macleari. Low herb, adheres by its spiny 

 bracts. 



Anisomeles ovata, perhaps adheres by its spiny calyx. 



Leucas, adheres by its spiny calyx. 



Boerhaavia, fruits glutinous and sticky may be sea borne, 

 but I found it not only on the sea shore but on high 

 cliffs above Flying Fish bay, where it is hardly 

 likely to have been thrown by the sea. 



Pisonia grandis, and P. excelsa, Fruits when ripe split and 

 exude a glutinous matter very adhesive. Forbes 

 mentions (Naturalist's wanderings pp. 30, 33) how he 

 found a Pisonia in Cocos the fruits of which adhered 

 to the feathers of the herons, and often killed them by 

 clogging their feathers. One of these herons was 

 Demiegretta sacra, not rare in Christmas Island. 

 Many sea birds nested in the trees of Pisonia grandis, 

 but I did not find any fruits of this species so that 

 I am not sure whether they are as adhesive as those 

 of P. excelsa. 



Achyranthes aspera has spiny burrs which are adhesive, 

 and is commonly to be found on the cliff edges 

 near the boody's nesting places. 



All these plants are either Javanese or have Javanese 

 affinities except Pisonia grandis, a native of Australia and 

 Polynesia. 



Jour. Straits Branch 



