AFRO-INDIAN REGIONS. 



247 



On landing, the coral-shelf was found to be broken and irregular, 

 narrow, and in some places hardly extending outwards from the 

 strand or beach : where constituting the overflowed rim, the water 

 seemed in all places too shallow, to admit anything more than an 

 empty boat into the lagoon. A dead tree lying prostrate, seemed to 

 have drifted to its resting-place; and the seed of a Mucuna, picked 

 up by Mr. Rich, must certainly have floated hither from some rocky 

 island. Beyond the limit of my own excursion, some of our party 

 met with "marks of a hurricane that had passed over the island from 

 the Northeastward." The house-fly and cocoa-palm were absent ; and 

 there were no certain indications of the visits of natives; for the 

 lizards, and even the rats, might have arrived on drift-wood. 



There were no growing trees; the Pandanus was absent (as from 

 some of the Phoenix coral-islands) ; Urticese were also absent. During 

 more than five hours on shore, the following were the only plants met 

 with : two of the species being additional : 



Lepidium (compare No. 1 Paumotuan and Bellinghausen coral-islands), and apparently 



the fleshy-leaved species seen at Oahu. Found by Mr. Rich. 

 Sida; apparently (No. 1) Phoenix coral-islands. Hare. 



Pemphis; bis (No. 1 Paumotuan to Phoenix coral-islands). The prevailing plant; grow- 

 ing ten to fifteen feet high, and often clustered, the stout stems nearly uniting at the 

 roots into a tree-like base. 



Portulaca; bis, apparently (No. 2) Hull's coral-island and Oahu. Sub-erect, a foot high ; 

 the stems and leaves slightly acid. 



Sesuviuni ; bis (No. 1 Phoenix coral-islands), and compare Tongatabu and the rocky 

 Hawaiian Group. The flowers purple. Abounding in inland depressed situations. 



Scaevola; bis, (compare No. 1 Paumotuan to Phoenix coral-islands). Very rare; found 

 by Mr. Brackenridge. 



(Iporaoea) turpethum?; compare (No. 1) Phoenix coral-islands; but not in flower. 



Cordia; bis Oahu, and compare (No. 1) Phoenix coral-islands; " young." Found by Mr. 

 Brackenridge. 



Tournefortia (bis No. 1 Paumotuan to Phoenix coral-islands). Stout-stemmed, and ten 



to fifteen feet high. Abundant. 

 (Pentacarya? No. 2, or compare) Tournefortia; seems new, but Mr. Brackenridge thinks 



it the small Paumotuan species. Woody, one to three feet high. 

 Boerhaavia (No. 2 ; compare Hull's coral-island); bis ?, near the small-flowered species 



of the Fecjeean and Hawaiian Groups, &c. Stems spreading over the ground, the 



under surface of the leaves red, or sometimes white. 

 Lepturus; bis? (compare No. 1 Paumotuan to Bellinghausen and Phoenix coral-islands) 



Growing in tufts; the stems dichotonious, with crowded, luirrow, short leaves; not in 



flower. 



Gramen incert., (No. 1 ; compare Tarawan coral-islands). Single-stemmed, and large- 

 leaved; resembling young Phragmitea. 



