AFRO-INDIAN REGIONS. 



227 



(Lepidium; bis No. 1 Clermont-Tonuerre and Henuaki coral-islands. Observed on 

 Otua).* 



(Meridiana ? lutea) ; bis (No. 1 Clermont-Tonnerre and Henuaki coral-islands) ; Portulaca 



of Forster. "Observed on Otua" by Mr. Brackenridge. 

 Scsevola; bis (No. 1 Clermont-Tonnerre and Henuaki coral-islands). Abounding on Otua. 

 Tournefortia ; bis (No. 1 Clermont-Tonnerre and Henuaki coral-islands). Growing on 



Otua. 



(Calpidia ovatifolia?) ; bis (No. 1) Henuaki coral-island; Pisonia-like. A tree, forty to 

 fifty feet high; not in flower. Growing on Otua; and probably observed in the dis- 

 tance on Waitoho, the trees there being equally lofty, but having upright branches as 

 on Serle coral-island. 



Boerhaavia; bis (No. 1 Clermont-Tonnerre and Henuaki coral-islands). Growing on 

 Otua. 



Achyranthes; bis (No. 1 Clermont-Tonnerre and Henuaki coral-islands). "Observed on 



Otua" by Mr. Brackenridge. 

 Procris ? (compare No. 1 Serle coral-island). Mr. Brackenridge thinks he met with this, 



but is not confident. (At all events, remnants of " tapa" or bark-cloth were obtained 



from the natives of Waitoho, and may have been manufactured from this plant). 

 (Lepturus); bis (No. 1 Clermont-Tonnerre and Henuaki coral-islands). Growing on 



Otua. 



Polypodiura (No. 1) ; a creeping rhizoma ; fronds two feet or more. Frequent on Otua. 



5. Taiara, or King's coral-island. Leaving Otua, the Vincennes 

 returned Southward, and on the 29th arrived in sight of Taiara; 

 a coral-island having its centre in about " S. Lat. 15° 42' and W. Long. 

 144° 39'," and seeming about twelve feet high throughout; there being 

 no signs of an outlet to the lagoon. On approaching in boats, the coral- 

 shelf was found overflowed by the tide, so as to intercept and neutralize 

 the surf, and we experienced no difficulty in reaching the shore. The 

 rim of land-surface between the sea and the lagoon was ascertained 

 to be "twelve hundred feet" across; and the water in the lagoon, which 

 from the ship seemed entirely blue, proved slightly turbid and whitish 

 close along the shore, from decomposed coral, as at Clermont-Tonnerre. 



The vegetable growth proved somewhat more varied than on the 

 coral-islands thus far visited, no less than ten additional species 

 making their appearance ; as will be perceived by the following List : 



* Cocos nucifera, (bis Clermont-Tonnerre and Serle coral-islands) ; the cocoa-palni. Some- 

 what more frequent on Waitoho than on the coral-islands tlius far visited; yet the 

 natives were unwilling to part with any of the fruit Entirely absent from Otua. 



Pandanus; bis (No. 1 Clermont-Tonnerre to Henuaki coral-island). Very abundant on 

 Waitoho, where it seemed the prevailing plant. 



