The Solomon Islands and Their Natives Part 39

(Placo.) australis Fr.

Hexagona apiaria, Fr.

similis, B.

Cladoderris dendritica, Fr.

Thelephora lamellata, B.

Hirneola auricula-judae, Fr.

Lycoperdon gemmatum, Fr.

Bovista sp... (uncertain).

Wynnea macrotis, Berk.

_The Flotation of Fruits in Sea-Water._--I made a few experiments on the fruits of this region, the results of which I here append. The fruits were all ripe and not dried.

(1.) Fruits that _float_ in sea-water.[435]

Cocos nucifera Areca catechu (Betel-nut).

Cycas circinalis.[436]

Panda.n.u.s (three littoral species).

Nipa fruticans.

Barringtonia speciosa.

Calophyllum inophyllum.

Calophyllum sp. (katari).

Ochrosia parviflora.

Heritiera littoralis.

Cerbera odollam.

Harpullia cupanioides.

Myristica sp. (ito-ito).

Riedelia curviflora.?

Thespesia populnea.

Gomphandra sp. (ningilo).

[435] The following fruits and seeds, taken from my dried collection of plants, float in sea-water. I did not experiment on them in the green condition... . Pongamia glabra: Coix Lachryma: Scaevola Knigii: Tournefortia argentea.

[436] Out of ten fruits experimented on, only one floated.

(2.) Fruits that _sink_ in sea-water.

Parinarium laurinum.[437]

Licuala sp. (firo).

Areca sp. (torulo).

Areca sp. (momo).

Caryota sp. (eala).

[437] This tree is widely distributed throughout the group, which may be due to the circ.u.mstance of its resin being generally employed in caulking canoes.

_The weeds, rubbish-plants, and shrubs, commonly found in old clearings and in the waste-ground of the cultivated patches in Bougainville Straits._

One of the commonest plants in the islands of Bougainville Straits is the _Eranthemum variabile_, which is frequently found growing at the sides of the paths. The spurges, _Euphorbia pilulifera_ and _E. Atoto_, are usually found in the waste-ground around villages. In the cultivated patches clumps of the handsome flowering reed, _Pennisetum macrostachys_ ("orsopa"), which grows to a height of nine or ten feet, are often conspicuous. In one place may be seen the tall shrub, _Kleinhovia Hospita_ ("lafai"), the inflated fruits of which are eaten by the c.o.c.katoos. In another place the botanist may recognise the _Canna indica_ (Indian Shot: "sati"), and near by perhaps _Coix Lachryma_ (Job's tears: "ken-ken"), both of which plants have been probably introduced originally from the Malay Archipelago. Solomon Islanders occasionally wear the seeds of _Coix Lachryma_ as a personal ornament.

They are also used for this purpose by the Admiralty Islanders, and by the natives of some parts of New Guinea. Scented l.a.b.i.ate plants are very frequent in the waste-ground of the plantations, and the natives are fond of wearing them in their armlets. Amongst them I may mention _Moschosma polystachyum_ ("pipituan") and _Ocymum sanctum_ ("kiramma").

The "luk-a-luk" (_Evodia hortensis_), which is a favourite scented plant, is commonly found in the same situations. The tiny plant, _Oxalis corniculata_, may clothe a bare patch of ground; whilst in another part of the plantation, _Commelyna nudiflora_ may similarly be observed.

Numerous composite plants, such as _Vernonia cinerea_, _Adenostemma viscosum_, etc., form a conspicuous feature among the rubbish-plants in these cultivated patches. The _Codiaeum variegatum_ ("tiatakush"), with its very singularly-shaped leaves, is also to be seen: and, amongst other plants, I should refer to _Solanum vitiense_ and _Crotalaria quinquefolia_. Tall sedges, such as _Cyperus canescens_ and _Mariscus phleoides_, are to be commonly observed. Lastly, I should notice two small scitamineous plants, the "nakia," a wild ginger, and the "temuli,"

the root of which has medicinal properties, whilst its yellow juice is used for staining purposes.

_A species of Pachyma??_

Whilst at the island of Santa Anna in October, 1882, my attention was directed by Mr. William Macdonald and Mr. Heughan to a curious vegetable substance, not unlike a yam in appearance, which is found _lying loose on the soil_. The specimens I obtained varied between one and five pounds in weight, but much larger examples have been obtained. The interior of the substance is white in colour, and sometimes has a waxy look. A large slab which had been whittled out by a native resembled a cake of compressed flour. There were many curious speculations as to the nature of these growths. In the estimation of the inhabitants of the island, they are poisonous, and they have received from them the name of "testes diaboli;" but I could gather but little information from the natives on the subject except to the effect that they are also commonly found on St. Christoval.[438] However, some time later I was informed by Mr. Stephens of Ugi that some mushroom-like growths were borne by a specimen that he kept, which after a few weeks fell away. I subsequently gave some of these singular ma.s.ses to Mr. Charles Moore, the Director of the Sydney Botanic Gardens.

[438] In the event of it proving edible, Mr. Heughan cooked a specimen, but only a tasteless substance resulted.

Three years pa.s.sed away and I had almost forgotten about the matter, when I accidentally came upon some substances, closely resembling these ma.s.ses, which are exhibited in the Botanical Department of the British Museum. They are labelled _Pachyma Cocos_ (Fries) from China. On my asking Mr. George Murray concerning their nature, I was pleased to learn that he had been taking a special interest in these growths; and he showed me a specimen obtained by the Rev. Mr. Whitmee in Samoa, from which a funnel-shaped fungus, about six inches high, was growing. This specimen was very similar to those of the Solomon Islands.

Very recently, Mr. G. Murray has embodied the results of his investigations of these growths in a short paper read before the Linnean Society, in which Mr. Whitmee's specimen is figured (Trans. Linn. Soc., 2nd ser. Bot., vol. ii., part 11). From this source I learn that Rumphius was the first to describe these tuberous ma.s.ses and their a.s.sociated fungi from Amboina. The former, which he named _Tuber regium_, were stated to afford remedies useful in diarrha, fevers, &c.

The fungi were said to shoot out from them during showers of warm rain on a fine day, or when there was thunder in the air. From the description and ill.u.s.tration given by Rumphius, Mr. Fries regarded the growth as a fungus belonging to the genus _Lentinus_, springing from a _Pachyma_ (of which the Indian Bread of North America, _Pachyma cocos_, is an example). Strange to say, however, these tubers, which are found also in China and other parts of the world, have never been found with a fungus attached since the time of Rumphius. Mr. Whitmee's specimen, therefore, had considerable interest. It is shown by Mr. Murray to correspond strikingly with _Tuber regium_ and to have the structure of a true "sclerotium" (not of _Pachyma_), with a fungus of a species of _Lentinus_ growing from it. All the facts go to prove that the fungus and the tuberous ma.s.s do not form part of the same growth, but are distinct organisms. A spore having germinated on the surface of the ma.s.s, its mycelium penetrates the interior, and becoming perennial, produces successive crops of fungi.

Residents in the Indian Archipelago and in the Pacific Islands might throw considerable light on the subject of these growths by careful notes and collections. It is important to discover the origin of the tuberous ma.s.s which becomes, so to speak, a convenient nidus for the fungus. How do such ma.s.ses perpetuate themselves? A considerable number should be kept under observation, and the mode of appearance of the fungus carefully noticed. Experiments might be made with the spores of the fungus by dusting them over the surface of the ma.s.ses. Such notes and collections should be forwarded to Mr. Murray, at the British Museum of Natural History.

CHAPTER XIV.

REPTILES AND BATRACHIANS.

IN a memoir on the Reptiles and Batrachians of the Solomon Islands, which was read before the Zoological Society, on May 6th, 1884,[439] Mr.

Boulenger remarked that very little was known about the herpetology of these islands until two important collections, which I sent to the British Museum in 1883 and 1884, brought to light several new and interesting forms, such as could hardly have been expected from this region. "The position of this group of islands on the limits of two great zoological districts,"--this author proceeded to observe--"renders the study of its fauna of special interest, as it is the point where many of the Papuasian and Polynesian forms intermingle. Curiously, all the Batrachians belong to species not hitherto found elsewhere, and one of them is even so strongly modified as to be the type of a distinct family."

[439] Published in the Transactions of the Society; vol. xii., part i., 1886. The diagnoses of most of the new species in my collections were given in the Proceedings for 1884: p. 210. Vide also "Annals and Magazine of Natural History" (5) xii., 1883.

According to Mr. Boulenger, the Reptiles may be grouped under four headings, viz.:--

1. Species belonging to both the Papuasian and Polynesian districts.

2. Indo-Malayan or Papuasian species, not extending further east or south-east.