146 DR. HOOKER'S MISSION TO INDIA. 
. patent eoma of widely-spreading branches. The flowers droop from 
the under-side of the branches, as if they grew so for protection against 
the rain. Two Barberries are next in abundance: one is like the 
holly-leaved Fuegian, and the other the counterpart of the small- 
leaved species of that far-distant region : the first is perennially leafy, 
the latter scarcely shows a bud yet. Bushes of Olea, Limonia, Sym- 
plocos, Cornee, some Araliacee, Hydrangea, and Caprifoliacee, Euony- 
mus, Celastrus, Rubus, Spirea, Cotoneaster, Gaultheria, Vaccinium, and 
Daphne. The larger trees were a few Oaks, but chiefly Rhododendrons 
(of which I send a full account separately). Here and there I observed 
a large Tarus (Yew), but much scattered: the largest of these trees 
measured eighteen feet in circumference, at five feet above the ground ; 
—none of them much exceeded this. Other prevailing trees were of 
the genera Pyrus, Prunus, Cerasus, Photinia? of the Pruni, one 
was very like Padus, and of the Pyri, there were the representatives 
in Aria and Aucuparia,* also Acer, Prinsepia ? and the curious Anisodus 
luridus. Climbing over these were Kadsura and Stauntonia, the latter 
presenting magnificent clusters of lilac flowers: Ochrea and Clematis 
acuminata, also, in vast abundance. I saw no epiphytal Orchidee 
above 10,000 feet ; but Rides was very frequent, and always parasitical 
on trees, the racemes of flowers erect. 
Many of the above genera are not natives of the regions below 
10,000 feet (which is probably the lower limit of the alpine region), 
and they ascend to the perpetual snow. Again, very many of the 
prevailing genera and species of 4,000—9,000 feet are not found so 
high as this, so that the change is evident in the absence of certain 
groupes, as well as in their replacement by others. 
'The plants charaeteristie of the Darjeeling region, and which do 
not appear to ascend to this, or do attain it and are seen no higher, are 
Magnoliaceg, Balsaminee, Vitis, Zanthozylee, Meliacee, most of the 
Rubi, Melastomee, Cucurbitacee,t Begonia, Aquilaria, arborescent 
Araliacee, Bucklandia, Cornea, Loranthacee, Rubiaceae, Lobeliacee, 
Styracee, Jasminee, Apocynee, Asclepiadew,t Oyrtandrea, Solanee (ex- 
x m cept Anisodus), Labiate, Acanthaceæ, Verbenacee, Laurineæ,§ Euphor- 
* A small apple grows wild on these hills, st 6,000 Teet. 
-+ Only one species above 9,000 fect. ; 
= A Holarrhena ascends to the height of 10,000 feet. 
§ Ascend to 8,000 and 9,000 feet. 
