340 



DISTRIBUTION OF PLANTS. 



observed to be abundant: Orchidaceoe, Lefpminosce, Sapindaceoe, Ara- 

 Uacece, PUiosporacece, Convolvulacece, and Tiliaceoi; to which I was 

 sometimes tempted to add, Cunoniacew. 



On referring to the Eastern groups, the principal changes in pro- 

 portional frequency seemed to be the following: grasses had become 

 abundant, prominent even in the landscape throughout the Leeward 

 half of the group; Leguminosce, for the first time in the Polynesian 

 flora, were abundant; ApocynacecB had also become abundant ; together 

 with Euphorhiacew : on the other hand, Cyrtandracece had become 

 rare, at least in the Leeward portion of the group. 



As already intimated, we had advanced near enough geographi- 

 cally for East Indian Analogies and connections to be frequent and 

 almost dominant. East Indian Ferns now made their first appear- 

 ance; together with Bidanophom, Mijrmecodia, Rohiquetia, CaryopliyUus 

 or wild clove, Leea, Memecylon, Ddlenia, Clnnamomum, and Antiaris 

 or Upas. 



At the same time, New Zealand Analogies and connections were 

 more numerous and intimate than on the Eastern groups : shown by 

 the presence of P'Utosporece ; of digitate-leaved, woody AmUacece ; epi- 

 dendric Melanthaceoi ; Dammara pine; Metrosideros ; Melicope? ; pseudo- 

 Zanthoxylum ; abundant Weinmannias ; a Lagenophora ; and a Cle- 

 matis, having the New Zealand habit, as also a scandent Ruhus. — 

 There were also some decided Australian Analogies : in the pre- 

 sence of a Casuarinoid tree; two phy Hod ia-bearing ^c«c«?s ; an Eustre- 

 ph>is ; an Epacrideous shrub; and a Boodia. 



There was little left to remind one of Tropical America : beyond 

 the unexpected appearance of a Passifiora, and of two Malpigliiacem; 

 unless, indeed, in the frequency of Melasiomacew, a tribe that seems 

 to be principally American. 



Negative characters. Although our collections were fuller than 

 at either the Samoan or Taheitian Groups; the Polynesian character 

 was maintained in the vegetable growth, in the continued rarity of 

 Midvacew, Savphulariacea;, Lahiatoi, and especially of Compositoi. 



The following additional tribes of plants made their appearance : 

 Ratmncidaceoi, the genus Ddlenia, the genus Pittosporum, Violacece, 

 Rosacea;, the genus CaryopliyUus, Passifioraceoe, BalanopJioracece, Pliy- 

 tolaccacecB, Laaracew, Chloranthacece, Conifera;, Smilacece, and Gharaceoe : 

 the only tribes that have disappeared, being MenispermaceEe and 

 Aristolochiacea3. With these modifications, the missing tribes of 



