DR. O. STAPF ON THE FLORA OF MOUNT KINABALU, 81 
minent or more numerous in individuals than others, thereby becoming leading features 
and giving the forest a specific physiognomical and biological character which varies 
according to its composition. In fact, travellers mention certain plants and certain 
types of vegetation, as climbers, epiphytes, palms, &c., as especially characteristic, and, 
moreover, I am told that the natives know very well how to distinguish not only young 
and old jungle, but also the various types of both. But collectors do not seem to 
have made an attempt to gather specimens methodically of these more prominent 
and commoner types in order to ascertain what is their systematic position. This 
may be largely due to the difficulty of getting such specimens and to want of time ; 
but also to the prevalent illusion that the commoner forms to which the eye soon gets 
used are less desirable in collections, and that the discovery of new species is the sole 
aim of the explorer. Yet what could be more important in exploring a new country 
—from a scientific as well as from a practical standpoint—than to grasp, above all, 
the broad salient features, and to exhibit them in descriptions and in authentic 
specimens ? I here mention this, not in order to cast any blame on the explorers of 
Kinabalu, but because I have very often felt, in studying parts of the Malayan flora, 
how useful and desirable it would be if travellers and collectors would pay more 
attention to this most important branch of phytogeography—1 should call it descriptive 
phytogeography—which found so skilful an interpreter for the flora of Java in 
Junghuhn, many years ago. 
To return to the ** young jungle” formation of the hill zone, I may mention plants not 
represented in the collection, such as various palms referred to the genera Areca, Pinanga, 
Calamus by Burbidge, and a species of Korthalsia which I recognized from one of 
Burbidge’s sketches. Bamboos play also a prominent part in this forest, and they are 
said to rise in immense feathery clumps to 50 or 60 feet on the river between Koung 
and Kiau, and to skirt the torrents and streamlets of the higher valleys with luxuriant 
growth. How far the two species of Bambusez, represented in the collection, share 
in forming these clumps and belts I do not know. In clearing the land the “ old jungle” 
is never so completely destroyed as not to leave now and then solitary trees or groups of 
trees, and even larger plots of the original vegetation, and it seems that the presence of 
tree-ferns on the hillsides near Koung and elsewhere must especially be traced back to 
such an origin. 
As tothe systematic character of this vegetation, so far as it is represented in the 
collections, see the table on p. 119. 
b. Cultivated Land.—The cultivated land is limited to the regions below 3000 feet. It 
consists of clearings made in the jungle by felling and subsequently burning the wood. 
The most important crops are kaladi or kladi (Caladium esculentum) and rice; then 
follow sweet-potatoes, yams, bananas, tobacco, gourds, melons, cucumbers, chillies—4. e. 
several varieties of Capsicum fruticosum and Capsicum annuum, Piper Betle, &c. Of 
palms, the Sago and Cocoa palm, species of Areca, and Oncospermum filamentosum are 
now and then seen near the houses of the natives, and occasionally also orange- and lime- 
trees and a kind of Artocarpus. There are a few weeds, gathered in the kladi-fields or 
round the houses, in the collections ; they are the commonest Malayan species, and no 
particular interest attaches to them. 
