278 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY. 
Plumbago scaxdens. Guapote. Rubefacient. 
PoRTULACA OLERACEA. Decoctioii IS anthelmintic and refreshing. 
PoRTULACA PILOSA. VerdoJacja saJvaje. A bitter and tonic. 
ScoPARiA DULCis. Rcdz cle cscobilla. A decoction used to restrain 
diarrhea and vomiting. 
SiDA RHOMiFOLiA. Escoba hlcmca 6 hahosa. The root is a diuretic. 
Spondias lutea. Corteza de Joho. A decoction is used to cauterize 
stubborn ulcers. 
Stachytarpheta jamaicensls. Verbena. A bitter, tonic, and 
febrifuge. 
Trixis radiale. Juan de la Calle. Antirheumatic. 
TuRXERA DIFFUSA. Contains damiana, a stimulant tonic; in large 
quantities a laxative. 
TuRXERA ULMIFOLIA. Carminative and tonic. 
Distribution of the Plants. 
It may easily be seen from the description of the physical features 
of the island that the variety of the vegetative conditions is very great 
and also that the conditions for vegetative growth are much more 
favorable in the rainy than in the dry season. The distribution of the 
plants is naturally determined by their adaptation to particular con- 
ditions. 
Bordering the sandy beaches are bushes of Tournefortia gnapha- 
lodes and Surlatia maritima, both of these being narrow-leaved, and 
the former being woolly-jnibescent. Croton flarens is a similar plant. 
Next inland occur the low spiny bushes of Castela NicJwIsoni. The 
small and long-rooted Euphorbia buxifolia grows in the sand dunes 
and near by are the small trees of Bumelia cuneata and Guaiacum 
officinale. On the exposed rocky shores by Juan Griego, Euphorbia 
thymifolia grows in abundance in almost no soil. 
The region nearest in character to the seashore is the lagoon. This 
is often bordered by Rhizophora Mangle, Laguncularia racemosa, 
and Avicennia nitida, all shrubby or aborescent })lants. On clear 
sandy stretches by the lagoons and sometimes partly submerged in 
the water are the low succulent plants, Batis, Salicornia, and Trian- 
thema. Mingled with these in the drier places are Alternanthera 
canescens and Iresine portulacoides, both having a low sjirawling habit. 
On the muddy shores of the brackish pond near Juan Griego grow the 
