1938 DOMINICA BOTANICAL COLLECTIONS 
Page 5 
STATION # PLACE AND DESCRIPTIVE NOTES 
17 (cont.) collection associated with variously colored 
DATE 
mosses: herein association was the non-flow- 
ering tiny-leaved prostrate woody shrub grow- 
ing with the closely creeping Lycopodium. 
The great majority of the summit surface was 
tree or shrub covered in a mass reminiscent in 
its impenetrability to certain dwarfed and 
stunted spruce and balsam mountain top formations 
of the Green or White mountains of New England. 
Ihstead of conifers of course here on Trois Pi- 
tons were chiefly what I took to be small trees 
which perhaps in normal conditions - at lower 
levels - may reach much higher growth (so tall 
do the trees at the lower levels get that whether 
they were the same species as at the top I, from 
the ground, could not tell); most common, hence 
dominant, was the oval, thick leaved shrub which 
according to Howes is called by the natives "Figi" 
or "Kaklanh" - it reminds one of the sea grape 
and in fact in height is similar. The branches 
contain a latex which exudes when bruised; the 
inflorescences were ready to burst in an advanced 
bud stage suggesting in their pale green color 
that the blossom is white. 
Another common shrub is the one collected with 
palmately (?) divided leaves and a blossom some- 
what white-lilac-like when in bloom; in size a 
in latex-bearing habit it resembles "Figi". 
More sparing is the Melastomaceous brilliant 
flowered (trumpet-creeper-color or more red) shrub J 
which is more shrubby than tree-like altho on the 
summit too it reaches the same height as the other 
two. 
In more sheltered spots on suramins pinnately A 
leaved palm (with white male inflorescence - only 
species seen on summit and runs more than half way 
down peak; there is also just below actual summit 
the white flowered shrub with serrate-margined 
spatulate (?) leaves whorled at tips, and with a 
spike of fringed-petalled flowers; the "violet” 
herb was common as was also razor -grass J 
In the wet cavernous spaces beneath the canopy of 
foliage of course all the epiphytes of the lower 
levels appear - filmy ferns both epiphytic and 
terrestrial, and certain of the orchids (3 species) 
and of course many mosses. 
Where the soil appears it is deep and muddy - must 
be volcanic clay. 
