OCT.- — DEC. 1856.] 



of the Madras Beach. 



89 



colour: leaves when full-grown coriaceous and nearly glabrous, 

 spikes terminal, long, at first compact, but becoming interrupted 

 as the plant increases in length : fascicles of flowers capitate, dense- 

 ly tomentose : bristles when full-grown not simple, but compound, 

 or as it were pinnate, pale brown, attaching themselves to the 

 clothes of passengers, cling to them with tenacity. 



7. Pandanus odoratissimus, Linn. (Kaldera bush.) A large 

 spreading ramous shrub, which fringes the coast in many places, 

 and is often planted in belts, but takes up much room, forms dense 

 thickets, and harbours venomous reptiles. The lands in which Chay 

 Root is cultivated are often protected from drift sand by means of 

 this shrub. It is a very strong binder, but is objectionable from its 

 raising sand-hills, which near the Marine Villa interrupted the 

 currents of sea breeze to the island. 



8. Ehretia arenaria, Griffith, which is found between 12° and 

 28<> N. L. (vide " Notulse ad plantas Asiaticas," Part IV, page 212) 

 appears to be widely distributed, and binds together the loose 

 sand, although in a minor degree. Is this the same as Ehretia (X) 

 cuneata ? Wight Icon. Vol. IV. t. 1385 which grows on sand banks 

 in the beds of all our rivers. 



The above are the sand-binding plants most frequently noticed 

 along the Coromandel beach. There are others as Pedalium ?nurex, 

 Ipomcea pes tigridis and Sesamum prostratum, &c, which co-ope- 

 rate in the work of conservation to a minor extent, but are less 

 widely diffused along the coast. In this notice, I have only in- 

 cluded those which seem obviously preferable for the purpose spe- 

 cified, by peculiarity of structure or rapidity of growth. 



List of Sand-binding Plants, 

 k Spinifex squarrosus Spinifex Ravanan mise. 



2. Ipomcea pes caprce Goat's foot Ipomcea, . .Mosul taylie. 



3. Canavalia obtusifolia Round leaved Canavalia. Kdyli avaree. 



4. Hydrophylax maritima.. . .Seaside Hydrophylax. 



5. Microrhynehus sarmentosus . Creeping Microrhyncus. 



6. Pupalia orbiculata Round leaved Pupalia. Adai yotti. 



7. Pandanus odoratissimus, . .Kaldera bush Taylie marurri. 



8. Ehretia arenaria Sand Ehretia 



