"trees grow only on sheltered coasts, hence on Aldabra they occur along the shores of the lagoon. In these mangrove communities four species are common and were found in each locality visited. These are ' (Forsk.) Vierh., ' (L.) Lam., ' (Perr.) C.B. Rob., and ' Lam. In a few localities only, these are accompanied by one or other of ' Willd., ' Sm., or ' Koen. The fern ' L. is abundant on Aldabra, sometimes in association with mangroves but more commonly among the maritime scrub where it tends to occur in crevices and at a slightly lower level than the trees and shrubs of the scrub. Mangroves occur almost all round the lagoon shores, more commonly in some places than in others, more luxuriantly in some places than in others. Along only a few rocky stretches of the lagoon shores are they absent."