BOTANY OF THE LACCADIVES. 
21 
“ a few curiously excavated areas under tillage (ragi, sweet-potato 
“and a species of arrow-root), and wild plants were therefore 
“ scarce.”* 
It is somewhat remarkable that Lieut. Wood does not mention 
the existence in 1834 of the excavated areas, the kat, indicated by 
Dr. Alcock; perhaps they have been formed since the time of Lieut. 
Wood^s visit. The “rhubarb-looking plant” of Lieut. Wood's 
account is the Polynesian Taro, Tacca pinnatifida. 
Dr. Alcock’s collection includes 16 weeds and escapes from 
cultivation, two of these {Dentella repens and Rerpestis Monnieria), 
being weeds of wet places not recorded from any of the other 
islands. His ^wild' species that are not weeds include Gloriosa 
superha, not reported from any other island ; perhaps, however, like 
Stachytarpheta indica, which he also reports and which also seems 
confined to Anderut, the Gloriosa may be here only an escape. It is, 
however, a common littoral species elsewhere, so it may quite well 
have been introduced by the sea. Thespesia populnea he notes as here 
planted only; he notes the Bread-fruit, not recorded by Lieut. Wood, 
and the American Aloe, apparently quite a recent introduction into 
the Archipelago ; this is present now in Kiltfo, however, as well as in 
Anderut. Lieut. Wood records two species of Qossypium as 
cultivated; these are not grown in any of the other Laccadive Islands 
proper; specimens of 0 . barbadese have, however, been sent from 
Minikoi, and Mr. Fleming enumerates G. herbaceuni as one of the 
cultivated species in that island. Lieut. Wood also notes that Rice 
is, or earlier in the present century was, grown to a small extent. 
He also notes having seen the Orange as well as the Lime cultivated. 
This no one else has reported, though Mr. Fleming reports the 
Pomelo as well a,s the Lime from Minikoi. 
The “ stately-looking tree with dark green foliage not unlike the 
“broad-leafed elm” is probably the Jack {Artocarpus integrifoUa); 
it has not, however, been met with in any of the other islands. 
One of the most noteworthy features of the Anderut flora is that 
it is in this island only that any ferns appear to occur; Dr. Alcock 
has sent specimens of two species, N'ephrodium molle and 
* Alcock, tn Hoskjn, “ Administration Report of the Marine Survey of India,” year 
1889-90, p. 13. 
521 
