342 



PHYSICAL HISTORY OF MAN. 



Cijcas circijialis, was seen naturalized along the sea-coast. The plant, 



was said to abound at the Comoro Islands, and to be used by the 



inhabitants as an esculent. 

 Cocos nucifera, the cocoa palm, abounding on the island of Zanzibar, 



and on the coast of the main land opposite ; but it was said not to 



extend into the Interior of the continent. 

 Ai'eca catechu, the betel palm: several stocks, were seen growing on 



the island of Zanzibar. 

 Zingiber' officinale, the ginger. The roots offered for sale at Zanzibar, 



were said to be brought from the Comoro Islands. 

 Musa sapientum, the banana, cultivated on the island of Zanzibar ; 



and by the Negro tribes of East Africa, to a considerable distance 



in the Interior. 



Dioscorea alata. Yams, were seen on the island of Zanzibar. 

 Tacca pinnatijida, growing in wild situations, on the island of Zan- 

 zibar. 



Flagellaria, a species, apparently indigenous ; and possibly different 



from the Polynesian. 

 Colocasia esculenta, cultivated sparingly on the island of Zanzibar ; 



and according to the native account, originally introduced from the 



Comoro Islands. 



Oryza sativa, rice, said to be unknown in the country around Brava : 

 but it is cultivated abundantly by the Negro tribes of East Africa, 

 to the Monomoisy inclusive; bearing everywhere its Malay name, 

 of ' padi.' — Cademosto, met with rice on the Gambia. And Lopes, 

 (a. d. 1588,) speaks of "a grain brought to Congo not long since 

 from the river Nilus, and called 'luco:' " in which word, we readily 

 recognise the Egyptian name of rice. 



Saccharum officinale, the sugar-cane; cultivated abundantly by the 

 Negro tribes of E]ast Africa; and as far in the Interior as the Mo- 

 nomoisy country. 



Many of the plants above-enumerated, are equally cultivated in 

 Hindoostan ; though this circumstance, does not invalidate an origi- 

 nal East Indian derivation. — The following plants, however, seem to 

 have had their source in Hindoostan ; and coming probably from the 

 vicinity of the Persian Gulf, the navigation of the Ancient Arabs, in 

 some instances perhaps, furnished the means of conveyance : 

 Raphanus sativus. Radishes, were seen in the market at Zanzibar. 



And the plant is perhaps, of ancient introduction. 



