JOURNAL 



OF THE 



BOMBAY 



Statural Ifetorg 



Vol. XV. 



BOMBAY. 



No. 4. 



NOTES ON THE FLORA OF NORTHERN GANJAM. 

 By Cecil E. C. Fischer, i.p.s. 

 (Read before the Bombay Natural History Society on 16th June 1904. ) 



The Ganjam district is the northernmost of the Madras Presidency 

 and borders on Bengal and the Central Provinces. 



In some points the Flora of the district differs from that of any other 

 part of the presidency and is characterised by the presence of Shorea 

 robusta, which tree occurs nowhere else in Madras, excepting the Agency 

 tracts of the Vizagapatam district (Jeypore estate). 



The Ganjam district itself is, however, open to sub-division as regards 

 its Flora, more especially from the fact of its bordering on the Bay of 

 Bengal. As I have not had the privilege of visiting the Agency tracts 

 of Ganjam, and have very slight acquaintance with the portion lying 

 south of Ichchapur along the coast, these notes refer only to the 2 

 northern taluqs of the plains — the Berhampur talnq near the coast and 

 the Gumsur taluq from 30 to 70 miles from the sea. The elevation of 

 this tract is from to 3,000 feet. 



The list is obviously very far from complete, and the total absence 

 of species from several large families, e. g., Compositse and Umbellifene, 

 is striking ; it must not be thought that this means that these orders 

 are not represented, but simply that the classification of these orders 

 being difficult they have been reserved for study after greater experience. 

 I trust that this personal note, which seems necessary to prevent mis- 

 apprehension, will be excused. 



