80 
SOFT-LEAVED AVICENNIA. 
at the summit and axils of the branches in panicles or short 
racemes which grow often 3 together, the divisions of the 
panicle, as in the branches, are opposite, the peduncles and 
the calyx are whitish and tomentose. The fruit resembles 
in form, and is nearly the size of an almond. 
Scarcely any tree is more widely disseminated throughout 
the tropics than the Avicennia, it is commonly associated 
with the Mangle or Mangrove, affecting the saline borders 
of the ocean in India, America, nearly all the groupes of 
the South Sea islands, and extends on our part of the con- 
tinent from Texas to Florida, and New Orleans, near to 
the estuary of the Mississippi, where it may often be seen 
brought in the oyster and fishing boats and called usually 
the Mangle. The roots spread out in all directions in arches 
over the surface of the soil, and send out from the mire in 
which they grow, numerous erect naked shoots resembling 
asparagus in appearance. I have not been able to ascertain 
its size on our coast, but I believe it attains there a much 
smaller elevation than in India. In the Herbarium of the 
Academy of Natural Sciences, are fine specimens from 
Surinam, collected by Dr. .Herring. In these nearly all the 
leaves are acute, and are furnished with conspicuous, 
rather long petioles ; yet, as on the same specimens some 
bluntish leaves may also be seen, it probably merely con- 
stitutes a variety which may be termed A. tomentosa P.* 
longifolia. The plant of India seems truly identic with our 
own. 
Forster discovered in New Zealand a third species which 
he calls A. resinifera , from its trunk transuding a green 
coloured gum, which the natives esteem as food. In 
other respects it scarcely differs at all from the present 
species. 
Plate CV. 
A branch of the natural size. a. The flower, b. The fruit. 
