15 
rated, there are many others, natives of distant tropical countries, 
which are now rapidly spreading themselves on the Island; and 
as it is of importance to distinguish them from such as are truly 
natives, I shall here enumerate all those species of which | 
possess sufficient evidence to establish their exotic origin, and 
mention the countries from which they have been brought. 
The two species of Prickly Pear (Opuntia), now so common 
in dry sandy localities in the low country, are natives of the 
tropical parts of the Continent of America, as is, indeed, the 
whole of the Cactus tribe. The beautiful rose-coloured Peri- 
winkle (Vinca rosea), which has so completely overrun the Cin- 
namon gardens at Colombo and other similar localities, is a 
native of the island of Madagascar, though it has now perfectly 
established itself in nearly all tropical countries. The climbing 
Allamanda cathartica, with its dark green leaves and golden 
bell-shaped blossoms, is a native of the Guianas, and was no 
doubt introduced by the Dutch. The Zantanas, which are to be 
met with almost everywhere in bushy places and in hedges, are 
natives of the West Indies ; and so is the yellow-flowered Zurnera 
ulmifolia, common by road-sides about Colombo. The Cape 
Gooseberry (Physalis. Peruviana), now so plentiful about Ram- 
bodde and Newera-Ellia, is from the mountains of Peru. The 
Four-o’clock plant (Mirabilis Jalapa), common about Kandy, is 
a native of Mexico and the West Indies; and the Tpecacuanha 
plant, as it is erroneously called, (Asclepias Curassavica,) with 
its orange blossoms, and. seeds with long silky tails, is a South 
American. Most of these must have been long established before 
the English took possession of the country; but the following 
are well known to have escaped from the Botanical Gardens 
at Colombo or Peradenia during the last five-and-twenty years. 
The small white-flowered Passiflora fetida, a perfect weed every- 
where, is a native of the West Indies and Brazil, and only 
introduced to the Island by Mr. Moon, so short a time ago as 
1824. Two species of Crotalaria—C. Brownei, a native of 
Jamaica, and C. incana, a native of the Cape of Good Hope ; 
the Mexican Coreopsis-like Cosmos caudata; the Peruvian blue- 
flowered Vicandra physaloides; and the South American Sensitive- 
plant (Mimosa pudica), are not only common weeds about 
Peradenia and Kandy, but are fast extending themselves in all 
directions, the first mentioned species having now nearly reached 
as faras Rambodde on the Newera-Hllia road. Brucea Sumatrana, 
a shrubby native of the Eastern islands, and an escape from the 
Peradenia gardens, now forms part of the low jungle on the 
neighbouring Hantane range: and Buddleia Madagascariensis, 
