INTRODUCED PLANTS OF POLYNESIA. 



321 



found it accompanied by the common banana : (and it should be 

 observed, that the Taheitians, unlike the other islanders, have been 

 in the habit of disseminating useful plants through the forest.) The 

 ' fehi,' or the Taheitian variety of the above Musa, was found to be 

 replaced at the Samoan Islands by the ' puputa ;' and this second 

 variety, did not extend beyond the borders of clearings. The ' pu- 

 puta,' was also seen by Mr. Brackenridge at Ovolau, in the Feejee 

 Islands. 



Dioscorea alata, the common yam, rarely seen. — It is more frequent 

 at Samoa : and at the Feejee Islands, it forms the main support of 

 the population. 



Digitai'ia ciliaris, a hairy species, frequent in cultivated ground : as 

 also, at the western groups. 



Paspahim, one or more species, growing in open ground ; and per- 

 haps introduced. 



Eleusine Indica, a frequent weed in cultivated ground : as also, at the 

 more western groups. 



Mariscus paniceiis, growing in cultivated ground ; and apparently, in- 

 troduced. 



All the plants thus far enumerated, were seen at the Samoan 

 Islands, with the exception of the following : the Jussieea, Pisonia, 

 Fanicum, Sida, Phaseolus amoenus, Lablab, Pachyrhizus?, Agati, 

 Acacia, Cucurbita aurantiaca, Ficus tinctoria ?, and Dioscorea penta- 

 phylla; together with the eight following plants, whose presence I 

 may have simply omitted to record : the Lagenaria, Ageratum, Co- 

 nyza, Siegesbeckia, Polygonum, Ricinus, Cenchrus, and Marsilea. — 

 On the other hand, the following additional plants, made their ap- 

 pearance at the Samoan Islands : 



Mallea Rohrii, a small tree, planted near habitations; but somewhat 

 rare. It was seen also at Tongataboo, but not elsewhere. 



Citrus torosa, a species naturalized, having the petiole as broad as 

 tile leaf, and the fruit outwardly resembling the Orange, but ex- 

 cessively acid and two-thirds rind. According to Mr. Hich, the 

 natives make use of the fruit in washing their hair. — At the Feejee 

 Islands, the tree in some instances had been evidently planted. 

 The species, is probably identical with the " wild orange suitable 

 for making lemonade," found by Larbillardiere at Waygiou : and 

 it agrees with the description of the C. torosa of Blanco's Flora of 

 the Philippines. 



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