182 



BOTA.L HORTICULTURAL SOCIETT. 



beautiful deep-scarlet or crimson fruit, produced in vast profusion 

 in short crowded panicles both from the trunk and towards the 

 ends of the branches, is very worthless. It is about the size of a 

 common fig, but more globose than usual. The thick evergreen 

 foliage is very dark ; the leaves are coriaceous, glabrescent, some- 

 what shining, very stiff and often harsh or scabrous. This Pig is 

 not found in either the Canaries or Madeira. 



JUGLATTDACEvE. 



135. JuGlans recia L. The Walnut flourishes and abounds 

 in Madeira. It is scarcer in the Canaries, and in the Cape 

 Verdes is ouly rarely and with difficulty made to grow. I met 

 with it once only, at an elevation of 2000 or 3000 feet, in the Bi- 

 beira das Patas in the island of St. Antao. 



CuPULACEjE. 



136. Castanea vulgaris Lam. The Spanish Chestnut flou- 

 rishes equally in Madeira and the Canaries, producing most abun- 

 dantly. It is not found in the Cape Verdes. 



137. Quercus Roeur L. The Oak (whether Q. pedumculata 

 Ehr. or Q. sessiliflora Sm.) thrives wonderfully in Madeira at 

 almost any elevation ; but it is only seen occasionally in the Ca- 

 naries, and not at all in the Cape Yerdes. 



138. Cortlus avellana L. The Hazelnut or Filbert occurs 

 here and there in Madeira ; and the trees flourish, but never pro- 

 duce perfect fruit with kernels. They do not exist in either the 

 Canaries or Cape Yerdes. 



MONOCOTYLEDONS. 



DlOSCOREACEiE. 



139. Tamtjs edulis Lowe. The cultivation of this plant is 

 quite confined to one or two parishes or districts in Madeira, those 

 of Pto. Moniz and Eibeira da. Janella. The large Bryony-like root 

 is rendered edible by long boiling. The plant is found wild both in 

 Madeira and the Canaries, but not in the Cape Yerdes. In Madeira 

 it is called " Norca;" in the Canaries it is scarcely used except 

 for feeding swine. 



140. Dioscorea. No species of true Yam succeeds in any of 

 these islands. They have been often tried in Madeira, but always 



