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IX, C, 5 Gates: Pioneer Vegetation of Taal Volcano 421 
lation to Bambusa in this area is evidenced by the fact that the 
majority of them occur in or near the areas where the bamboos 
also occur. Almost all of the species become higher than the 
parang species and so can replace parang. Particularly are they 
accomplishing this at lower altitudes. They have equal op- 
portunity to invade the areas contemporaneously with parang 
species. Generally the parang species make faster initial growth, 
but many of the trees soon catch up. Between October, 1913, 
and April, 1914, it was very evident that species of this asso- 
ciation were rapidly invading many new places in the parang 
and more than successfully competing with it in areas already 
invaded. In the absence of destructive factors, within a few 
years the northern part of the island should be vegetated with 
the Bambusa-Parkia association. From there it will gradually 
spread along both sides of the island to the southern corner. 
THE WEED ASSOCIATION 
The weed association is likely to be found in cultivated 
ground, after fires, and in clearings, when such areas are better 
represented on Taal, but at present in no place does it assume 
the appearance of an association. For the most part the weeds 
occur isolated in openings in other vegetation or under the partial 
shade of some trees. In the absence of cultivated land and the 
abundance of cogonal grasses, weeds have but little chance. 
Even when once started their brief life period permits them 
dominance only for a short time, and they are readily replaced 
by other vegetation. The weed association is represented by 
scattered plants of Erigeron linifolius, Ageratum conyzoides, 
Synedrella nodiflora, Pterocaulon cylindrostachyum, Ama- 
ranthus spinosus, Heliotropium indicum, Blumea sp., Emilia 
sonchifolia, Vernonia cinerea, Leucas javanica, Portulaca olera- 
cea, Scoparia dulcis, and Datura alba. 
CULTIVATED PLANTS 
Although not a proper association, there are here grouped a 
few plants which have persisted from previous cultivation in the 
vicinity of the former towns, Bignay, Pirapiraso, Panipihan, and 
Binintiang. For the most part these plants are merely growing 
in the parang and in course of time will succumb to it. Of these 
cultivated plants, Musa sapientum is the largest and the most 
abundantly represented at a number of places near the northern 
coast of the island. Small trees of Carica papaya occur in a few 
places near former houses. The remaining ones were limited 
in distribution to the vicinity of Pirapiraso. Ipomoea batatas 
