AFRO-INDIAN REGIONS. 



517 



of this height, until dividing into a spreading top, too distant for 

 species to be distinguished. One or more kinds having board-like 

 buttresses widely-projecting around the base of the trunk, may have 

 belonged to the genus Fivus ; other species of this genus being fre- 

 quent. Lofty-climbing woody vines were also frequent ; some with 

 a stem several inches in diameter, enveloping trees in anaconda-like 

 folds, and bearing flowers and foliage out of reach in the tree-tops : 

 the genus Baulnnia was however met with. Of more humble vines, 

 species of Gissus were frequent; and we met with climbing Gonvol- 

 vulacece, and even Gucurhitacece ; the PJiaseoleoe seeming chiefly con- 

 fined to the border of the forest. Among palms, the terminal crown 

 of fronds of climbing Galami projected here and there above the tops 

 of the loftiest trees ; but of the variety of other fine palms met with, 

 none exceeded thirty feet in height. — As compared with Polynesia 

 and Luzon : Elatostemas had become rare ; and Freycinetias, tree-ferns, 

 and Cyrtandras, were not even met with. 



Beyond the above-mentioned inland stream, the forest in one in- 

 stance gave place to what was at first mistaken for a tract or grove of 

 Eucalypti: the trees in their sparse branches and foliage presenting 

 the ghost-like Australian aspect, further heightened by smooth pur- 

 plish trunks, as though devoid of bark, and by camphorated leaves; 

 but these proved opposite, and with the diverse fruit, indicated another 

 genus of the Myrtaceae, apparently Melaleuca. 



We crossed an opening, possibly natural, but which I was more 

 inclined to regard as an ancient clearing. Like other similar open- 

 ings seen in the distance in the midst of the forest, the margin was 

 sharply marked by the ceasing of the surrounding dense growth of 

 large trees. The open space was chiefly overgrown with coarse grasses, 

 six feet or more high : as Sorghum Halepeyise ; Sacchariim officinale or 

 sugar-cane, more slender-stemmed than even at the Feejee Islands; 

 Aplucla? ; and gen. Rothoellioid, or perhaps Lepturus. Gonvolvalaceoe 

 were intermingled with the grasses; also, some plants that were not 

 indigenous, as a Hyptis with oval capit. of blue flowers. 



The weather proved very hot and sultry; and though there was a 

 little rain during the day, the plants outside of the commencement of 

 the forest were observed on our return to bear marks of suffering. We 

 met with signs of occasional heavy rains; and from the clayey charac- 

 ter of the soil, travelling at such times must be difficult. In regard 

 to the results of our excursion, the variety of plants was less than we 



