30 MISS L. 8. GIBBS ON THE FLORA AND PLANT FORMATIONS 
a fine trunk of a tree with a hand-rail, was still intact. A dark vein 
‘of slate accompanied by another of grey mud was conspicuous in the bed of 
the river. 
On the other side we passed into fine primary high forest, through which 
tthe path mounted steeply to the ridge, called Penibukan (about 5000"), 
which it followed for some time. 
On this ridge a typical mossy forest association is found consisting of 
slender small trees crowded together. Here Dacrydium falciforme was 
general, also Podocarpus brevifolius and a small-leaved species, all in sterile 
condition. Bambusa (?) Gibbsiw formed a dense growth scrambling through 
the slender trees, while the orchids and ferns collected were Trichomanes 
rigidum, the minute Podochilus serpyllijolius, Appendicula congesta, 
Bulbophyllum Gibbsie, Microstylis kinabaluensis, and Spathoglottis gracilis, 
As the ridge dipped steeply to the Kinitaki river the mossy character of 
the forest ceased, and saturated clay carried a luxurious herbaceous under- 
growth of the pink-flowered Phyllagathis elliptica, Impatiens platyphylla, 
Pilea Stapfiana, the white Argostemma kinabaluense, Elatostema kinabaluense, 
E. penibukanensis, F. viridissimum, E. pedicellatum, and Lepidosperma 
whinense. 
Crossing the Kinitaki, quite a small stream at this level, we ascended 
again sharply, the track following the course of a small rivulet. The clay soil 
was here more exposed, and the undergrowth thin and scattered ; Phyllagathis 
elliptica, Sonerila tenuifolia, with some plants of the Impatiens, still made 
pink the dominant note. As one mounted, the height of the trees fell 
markedly, shrubs of Leptospermum recurvum began to line the watercourse, 
with the drooping youth-form of Dacrydium Gibbsiv, while Aletris rigida and 
Eriocaulon Hookerianum were dotted on its broadening clay banks. And then 
we suddenly emerged on an open space, the far-famed spur of St. John, 
Burbidge, and Haviland. 
This space seems to be due to the head-waters of the small stream, which 
loses itself in a marshy open area that ascends in shallow terraces of yellow 
clay to the forest above. Although in describing its character allowance 
must be made for the fact that the observations were made in persistent rain, 
most of the plants collected in this association actually point to permanent 
moisture. The fine pink Melastoma decemsidum was in full flower associated 
with the rigid, but for the genus handsome, large-leaved Styphelia malayica, 
the stiff little shrub Hedyotis protrusa, with erect branches, and the spreading 
herbaceous H. pulchella var. magnistipula, Diplycosia kinabaluensis, with green 
flowers and dwarf creeping habit, Dianella ensifolia, Isachne virgata, Carex 
„cruciata, Schanus melanostachys, and the smaller herbaceous plants Kriocaulon 
Hookerianum, Aletris rigida, the handsome Lophoschenus Ureilleanus, the 
red rosettes of Drosera spathulata, and Sehizwa malaceana. Nepenthes 
