,\) 7 "=== (UF = 
ete eh 5 ct i in 
400 
the mountain. The evergreen species of the parasitic Loranthacew 
which are found on the limbs of Parkia roxburghti (Pl. IIL) and on 
other species are, however, very striking. ‘These are prominent features 
of the sky line when the foliage of the trees is thin. Very common also, 
in open places, on the trunks of trees, on rocks, and on fallen logs, is the 
deciduous epiphytic fern, Drynaria quercifolia. During the favorable 
season it has dimorphic leaves. During the dry season, the foliage leaf 
is shed and the scale leaf becomes dry and brown, strikingly showing the 
effect of the change of seasons on the formation in which it grows. A 
few epiphytic orchids were noted and were collected, but as the species 
as yet have not been determined the list can not be given here. The 
twining asclepidaceous epiphytic Dischidia pectenoides is usually found 
growing on bamboo near the upper limits of the formation. Besides 
the ordinary leaves, it has bladder-like ones which generally harbor insects 
and in which delicate roots are developed. 
Relation of the vegetation to the topography.—tIn the preceding discus- 
sion some mention has been made of the varying types of vegetation in 
different physiographic situations. With the exception of the land lying 
close to the river, the physiographic types are ridges, slopes of ridges 
and old river terraces at or near their bases. Except when the latter 
are of such recent origin that the underground water level is near the 
surface, they do not offer any strikingly different habitat for plants than 
the more gentle slopes. The terrace appearance is often destroyed by 
the surface wash of the slopes and thus it grades imperceptibly into the 
latter and becomes a part of it. The river is young, so that as yet there 
have not been developed any flood plains, although during the rainy 
season the lowest terraces are flooded. The vegetation of these and of 
the river channel itself will be considered in another place. On the 
exposed ridges the vegetation is slightly more xerophytic than it is on 
the slopes, and here its composition is similar to that of the parang. 
Future possibilities of the parang vegetation.—Since the parang is not 
peculiar to the Lamao Reserve, but is found throughout the Philippines, 
it is of considerable importance to ascertain what its forestal and agricul- 
tural possibilities are, and whether, in case it is left idle, it will again 
return to its normal condition. As long ago as 1880 Vidal *° called 
attention to the idle nature of these lands and then he advocated -their 
agricultural possibilities. No-doubt much of the land is available for 
agriculture, but that portion which is situated on the slopes is better 
suited for purposes of forestry. Outside the reserve, on many mountain 
sides, the parang or cogonales extend well up on slopes which formerly 
were covered with virgin forests. The latter acted as better retainers of 
moisture than does the present vegetation and with the advent of a more 
intense agriculture at their bases, if they are returned to their original 
Tc. p. 10. 
