570 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XVI 11. 



Ilysanthes hyssopioides 1 I. parviflora, 1. minima, I. rotnndi folia, 

 Hygrophila spinosa. 



The climbing plants are well represented in our Flora, nearly J of 

 all the plants being climbers. 214 species are woody, and 136 herba- 

 ceous. This biologically very peculiar group includes plants 

 of 43 different Orders. The Menispermacecti, Ancistrocladacecv, 

 Malpighiacece, Cucurbitacece, Gnetaceca, Dioscoreacce have only 

 climbers as representatives in the Bombay Flora. The Orders which 

 contain the greatest number of climbing plants are : Legummosw 

 (with 6$ species), Convolvidacem (46), Asclepiadace?e (40), 

 Cucurbitacece, (31), Vitacece ('22), Menispermacece (11), Apocynacem 

 (9), Celastracece (8), Oleacece, (8). 



Of parasites, i.e., plants which draw the whole or part of their 

 food materials from other plants by means of haustoria, the Bombay 

 Flora contains 40 species. Only 10 species are total parasites that 

 take all their nourishment from the host : jEginetia indica, Christi- 

 sonia lawii, C. cakarata, Cistanche tubidosa, Orobanche cernva 

 var. desertorum, 0. cegyptiaca, Cassytha filiformis, Cuseuta reflexa, 



C. hyalina, C. chinensis, Balanophora indica. The rest show all 

 partial parasitism : Striga ovobanchioides, Loranthus wallichiavus, L. 

 obtusatvs, L. scurnda, L. stocksii, L. gibbosus, L. elastictis, L. cune- 

 atus, L. longiflorus, L. trigonus, L. lagenifervs, L. capitellatvs, L. 

 Ion icero ides, Viscum .monoieum, V. orientate, V. capitellatiim, V. 

 angidatvm, V. artimlatum, Santalum album. 



As to epiphytic plants (which grow clinging to other plants for 

 support, but are not parasitic upon them, and are not usually attached 

 to the soil) our Flora cannot be called rich. In no part of the 

 Presidency do they impart a characteristic feature to the vegetation. 

 Except JEschynanthus perotteti, Argostemma verticillatum, Hoy a 

 retusa, Hoy a wightii, Fagrcea obovata, Peperomia wightiana, Ficus 

 rumphii, Pothos scandens, Cyanotis vivipara, and perhaps a few 

 others, all belong to the Orchidacece : Oberonia falconer i, 0. retusa, 

 0. platycavlon, Microstylis rheedii, Liparis dalzellii, Dendrobium 

 macraei, D. microbulbon, D. chlorops, D. barbalulum, I), herbaceum, 



D. macrostachyvm, B. crepidatum, J), mabelce, Bulbophyllwn nilgher- 

 rense, Cirrhopetalum jimbriatum, Trias stocksii, Eria reticvlata, 



E. lichenora, E. reticosa, E. dalzellii, E. mysorensis, Phajus albus, 

 P. microchilos, Josephia lanceolata, Cymbidium bicolor, Lvisia tereti- 



