OF THE MALDIVE ISLANDS. 
137 
Comparing the list of cultivated plants in the Maldives with 
that of the Laccadives and Minikoi,"^ we find that it is much 
larger, as might be expected from the greater size, wealth, 
&c., of the group, containing at least 46 species that do not 
occur in the northern islands. It contains about 98 species, 
as against about 58. Among the 12 species found in the 
northern group not cultivated in the Maldives are Annatto, 
Ægle Marmelos, Ground-nut, Cowpea, Physalis peruviana, 
Phyllanthus Einblica, Agave vivipara, and a yam. Among 
the Maldivian plants not cultivated in the Laccadives or 
Minikoi are Custard apple, Carambola, Blimbing, Zizyphus, 
Jujuba Roses ? Plumeria, Brinjal, Tobacco, Cassava, Ficus 
religiosa. Pineapple, some yams, &c. Some of these, e.g,^ 
Zizyphus, probably were introduced from the West, whence 
much of the native stock came to the islands, others, e.g.^ 
Plumeria and Ficus religiosa, probably owe their introduc- 
tion to pre-Islamic times, prior to the arrival of Arab, Malay, 
and possibly Persian settlers.! 
VL—THE ORIGIN OF THE FLORA. 
The flora of the islands is undoubtedly recent and derived 
from abroad. We must now proceed to deal with the 
question of the sources from which it was derived, and the 
manner in which it reached the islands. 
Plants introdyced unintentionally by Human 
Agency. 
The paths of human migration and trade, all over the 
world, are marked by weeds that have accompanied the 
wanderers or been carried in the articles of trade, uninten- 
tionally, but none the less certainly. Going over the above 
list of the flora there can be little doubt that at any rate the 
* This may be partly due to the hurricanes which at times sweep 
the latter islands, destroying and washing awaj' many plants. 
t There is no evidence (sensu stricto) of Buddhism, though there is of 
Hinduism, in the Maldives. Cf. Gardiner : The Natives of the Maldives, 
Proc. Camb. Phil. Soc., XI., 1900, p. 17. 
