343 
in the shallower tidal pools on Great Coco, but the specimens were too 
much withered to be determinable. 
[Where an asterisk precedes the distribution of any Fungus or Alga 
it has been impossible to ascertain whether the species in question 
extends beyond the area indicated]. 
§ § § Nature, Distribution, and probable Origin op the Flora. 
In this list 358 distinct species are recorded, distributed among 268 
genera and 95 natural orders ; 297 species are Phanerogams and 61 are 
Cryptogams, giving a proportion of nearly five flowering plants to one 
flowerless species, the exact proportions and percentages being :— 
Phanerogams: Cryptogams:: 4-85: 1. 
Phanerogams == 83 % ; Cryptogams — 17 %. 
In the two groups Filices and AlgcB the list represents the Crypto- 
gamic flora with probably the same degree of adequacy that it does the 
Phanerogamic. In the other Cryptogamic groups it is to be feared the 
representation is not so complete. Still the scarcity of Mosses and Lichens 
is a very striking feature of the flora, so is the paucity of Ferns ; with all 
three groups it is not merely a case of few species being present, there 
are, except perhaps in the case of Acrostichum scandens, which is common, 
remarkably few individuals of these species. 
Among the 297 Phanerogams, 238 are Licots; only one of these 
(Cycas Bumphii) is a Gymnosperm, the other 59 being Monocots. The 
Bicots are distributed amongst 59 natural orders and 178 genera, the 
Monocots amongst 14 natural orders and 45 genera. The proportions 
and percentages here are :— 
Dicots : Monocots :: 4 : 1. 
Dicotyledons = 80 °/q ; Monocotyledons = 20 °/q. 
Altogether 66 per cent, of the flora consists of Dicotyledons, whilst 
among these the Polypetalm exceed in number the rest of the groups 
combined, a somewhat unusual circumstance, since, as regards species at 
least, the Indian Oamopetalce usually exceed the Polypetalce; Polypetalce 
here constitute, as it happens, one-third, or 33 % of the whole flora. 
There are only 15 Vascular Cryptogams in the list as against 46 Cel¬ 
lular Cryptogams; these are together distributed amongst 45 genera and 
22 natural orders ; The proportions and percentages are :— 
Vascular: Cellular:: 1: 3. 
Vascular Cryptogams = 25 %; Cellular Cryptogams = 75 %. 
The subjoined table gives a synoptic view of the systematic disposi¬ 
tion of the Coco Island Flora. 
153 
