328 



DISTRIBUTION OP PLANTS. 



as all the gales he has experienced at these islands" during his several 

 visits. 



Some remarks and direct observations on the distinction of seasons 

 will be given presently, in the description of the vegetable growth. 



Windward portion of the group. We entered the Group from the 

 Windward; and in conformity with the mountainous surface and rainy 

 climate, the vegetable growth on Ovolau proved richer and more 

 varied than at any other station we visited. The change from the 

 Samoan Islands was marked by the greater variety and abundance of 

 Euphorbiaceous shrubs, particularly, species of Acalypha ; by the shin- 

 ing, or even highly polished leaves of many kinds of plants ; by climb- 

 ing Melasfomaceoi making their first appearance ; as also, the strange, 

 mistletoe-like Myrmecodia ; the nests of a Poly pod ioid fern, conspicuous 

 in the tree-tops from the accessory scarious fronds; the PittosporacecB ; 

 Lauracem, and the genus Cinnamomum ; species of Cai^yophyUus or wild 

 clove; and by Leyun^lnosce having become abundant: the vegetable 

 growth being made up of an increased number of species, yet there 

 was less luxuriance, and large forest-trees were comparatively rare. 



In our progress Westward, we had at length arrived at a point 

 where the vegetable growth is less exclusively Polynesian, and par- 

 takes of the East Indian, and especially of the Moluccan character; 

 in conformity with climate and geographical proximity. 



The forest on Ovolau was composed of a great variety of trees : 

 including several species of Ficus, extremely abundant, but rarely ex- 

 ceeding the medium size ; also, pinnate-leaved trees, some of them 

 large, belonging to Meliacece, Terehinihacece, but perhaps chiefly to 

 Sapindacece ; several Myrtaceous trees; an ornamental Apocyneous tree, 

 fifty to sixty feet high ; a spreading Inga-like tree, of equal dimensions, 

 but not extending far inland ; CaJophyllum, perhaps a third species ; 

 a Myristica frequent, and very generally diffused through the forest ; 

 an Aniiaris, forty feet in height; an Epncarpurus, sixty to seventy 

 feet high; a Firmiuna ; a gm. Tiliac, having a thin, flattened 

 capsule; an Uvaria; several undetermined trees seen only in leaf; 

 and especially a ge7i. Canoniac., with ternate leaves and showy flowers, 

 conspicuous in exposed situations along the margin of the forest ; 

 accompanied by a gen. Ceanothoid, sometimes thirty feet high. 



True parasitic plants, the Loranthacem, continued somewhat rare. 

 The Myrmecodia, which is abundant, might indeed be mistaken for 

 one, but it has roots, and is therefore only epidendric. In the tree- 



