236 



DISTRIBUTION OF PLANTS. 



mentioned dense grove of trees, found to be three or four acres in 

 extent. The whole flora of the island consisted of but two species of 

 plants : one of them, as will be perceived, additional : 



Portulaca (No. 1). Normal ; multicaul and prostrate, having the habit of P. oleracea, but 

 much larger flowers ; petals five, yellow. Growing in a scattered manner on the top 

 of the beach, and in all instances outside of the grove. 



(Calpidia ovatifolia ?) ; bis (No. 1 Paumotu coral-islands). Constituting the grove; some 

 of the trees being fifty feet high, with the trunk four feet or more in diameter. Addi- 

 tional anomalies of growth were here observed : as two proximate upright branches 

 anastomosing ladder-like at intervals ; and several instances of upward-tending branches, 

 as in the trees seen in the distance on Serle and other coral-islands. The timber proved 

 on examination to be brittle and to all appearance worthless. 



d. The Otafuan or Union range of Loio coral-wlands. 



At a later period in the Voyage, several coral-islands in the central 

 portion of the Pacific were visited by the Peacock. Lists of the plants 

 growing upon them were communicated to me by Mr. Rich ; after the 

 loss of his specimens by shipwreck. 



Of the coral-islands of the central Pacific, the nearest are the 

 scattered Otafuan ; situated to the Northward of Rose coral-island 

 and the rocky Samoan Group. 



15. Swain's coral-island, in " S. Lat. 11° 05' and W. Long. 170° 

 55'," and widely detached from any other known island, was visited 

 by the Peacock ; and found to be " devoid of a lagoon, and only four 

 miles and three-tenths in circumference." Mr. Rich on landing, ob- 

 served there the following plants : three of the species being addi- 

 tional : 



" Petesia ?" (Compare No. 1 Taiara coral-island to Ahii).* 



"Guettarda." (Compare No. 1 Taiara to Metia, and Bellinghausen coral-island). 

 " Cordia." (No. 1 ; compare the rocky Taheitian Group). 



" Tournefortia." (Compare No. 1 Clermont-Tonnerre coral-island to the rocky Taheitian 



and Samoan Groups). 

 " Boerhaavia." (Compare No. 1 Paumotuan and Bellinghausen coral-islands). 

 "Procris? Sciophila." (No. 1). 



"Pandanus." (Compare No. 1 Paumotuan to Bellinghausen coral-island and the rocky 

 Samoan Group). 



* " Cocos." (Compare Paumotuan coral-islands to Taheiti). "The island uninhabited, 

 but covered with cocoa-palms." 



