1 895. NOTES AND COMMENTS. 157 



forest. Here are found palms of the genera A veca, Pinanga, and Calamus, 

 while bamboos play also a prominent part, rising in immense feathery 

 clumps to 50 or 60 feet on the river. In the cultivated land the most 

 important crops are kladi (Caladium esculentum) and rice ; then sweet 

 potatoes, yams, bananas, tobacco, gourds, melons, cucumbers, and 

 chillies. 



Next comes the Lower Mountain Zone (3,000-6,000 feet), occu- 

 pied, with occasional interruptions or modifications, by old jungle 

 or primary evergreen forest, described as abounding in fine, tall 

 trees, creepers, and epiphytes, commonly also in undershrubs, while 

 the ground is carpeted with ferns and mosses, which increase in 

 quantity and luxuriance with the elevation. A few slender, grace- 

 ful palms are also to be seen. Bamboos are again a characteris- 

 tic feature, growing in thick clumps beneath the trees, or skirting 

 open places, or scrambling and creeping and smothering everything. 

 Among the herbaceous plants may be mentioned a violet. 



This is followed by the Upper Mountain Zone (6,000-10,500 feet), 

 in which two formations are recognisable from the specimens, namely, 

 primary evergreen dwarf forest and bogs. The forest consists of 

 small trees and tall shrubs from 10 to 20 feet high, sometimes well 

 separated, sometimes forming almost impenetrable thickets. The 

 trees are stunted, twisted, and weather-beaten, with trunks and 

 branches clothed inches deep with dripping moss and festooned with 

 long, beard-like lichens. Only conifers form fine trees in some more 

 favourable places. There is a marked tendency among some of the 

 species to grow gregariously. The foliage is often crowded on short, 

 thick branches ; the leaves, which are stalkless or with short, stout 

 petioles, are very coriaceous, dark green in colour, smooth, and glossy. 

 Oval and round forms are frequent. The shrubs blossom nearly 

 all the year round, many of them very freely. No less than nine 

 rhododendrons adorn the ridge with brilliant flowers in clusters or 

 scattered among the dark foliage. Among the climbers, the wonderful 

 pitcher plants are by far the most peculiar feature ; at least five 

 species occur here, some climbing in the trees, others scrambling over 

 shrubs or straggling on the ground. Here, too, the ferns attain 

 their most luxuriant development. Two tree ferns are represented, 

 one — a new Cyathea — was found at 10,500 feet. The bogs are confined 

 to a few spots, where grow a Drosera, a Utyiculayia, some sedges, a 

 dwarf gentian, and some interesting plants of Australian affinity. 



Of the Summit Zone (10,500-13,698 feet), the greater part is 

 occupied by bare rock. The forest, dwarfed to a mere shrubbery, 

 ascends to 12,000 feet, while on a flatter area, where many little 

 streams collect and unite before beginning their rapid descent, boggy 

 patches occur, with buttercups, potentillas, and gentians. Here and 

 there a scanty vegetation clings to the rocks. 



Dr. Stapf discusses at some length the affinities of the flora of 

 the different zones; among the most interesting is the Australasian, 



