2S2 



DISTRIBUTION OF PLANTS. 



abundant ; gen. Araliac, six to twelve feet high, with long, pinnate, 

 and jointed leaves ; some Myrtaceoe, growing near the coast ; a Cestrum- 

 like shrub, six to twelve feet high, and abundant ; a Geniostoma, eight 

 feet high ; gen. AcronycJiioid, more or less arborescent; and, on moun- 

 tain-ridges, gen. Simaruh.?, ten to twenty feet high. 



Tree-ferns were less abundant and less prominent than at Taheiti, 

 being overtopped in a closer forest of large trees ; yet two or three 

 species were observed to be frequent. Throughout the forest and all 

 over the islands, a profusion of other kinds of Ferns were intermingled 

 with the shrubs growing on the ground, many of the species being of 

 large size. 



The forest of Interior Savaii. The island, with all its inequali- 

 ties of surfiice and original botanical localities, having been buried 

 under lava streams, the plants now growing on Savaii are in new soil, 

 of a uniform character throughout; with hardly any variation in situa- 

 tion and exposure. 



The climate in Interior Savaii differs from that of the remaining 

 portion of the group, being yet more humid. So profuse have been 

 the rains, that the lava-crust with vegetable admixture, has been 

 very generally decomposed into soil, and has become covered with 

 a heavy forest. Of the component trees, some proved the same as 

 those already mentioned, only larger and loftier; but there were other 

 frequent trees, that I did not meet with elsewhere. 



After passing neglected clearings, and entering the border of this 

 ^ovQBi, &, Mmaceous plant formed a frequent and striking object; dis- 

 tinguished from the banana by its leaves, instead of spreading, stand- 

 ing upright. Farther in, were fine, luxuriant tree-ferns ; and among 

 them, the tallest I ever met with, growing in one instance fifty feet 

 high ; while throughout the forest to the limit of my excursion, the 

 Polynesian hamhoo seemed at home, and could only be regarded as 

 indigenous. 



The undergrowth being neither very dense nor much entangled, I 

 was enabled to proceed about eight miles from the sea; the only 

 serious obstacle being the continual rain; but my time was limited; 

 and the central portion of the island remained " unvisited, even by the 

 natives." Unknown flowers and fruits were strewed upon the ground, 

 while the lofty trees, with every leaf beyond the scan of ordinary 

 vision, appeared often to exceed a hundred feet in height. A peltate- 

 leaved Cupanioid ?, wide-spreading and eighty feet high, together with 



