A STUDY IN ENDEMISM. 277 



spicata ; Cleistanthus pallidus is very common, also Ery- 

 throxylon obtusifolium, Salacia reticulata, &c. The trees and 

 rocks at the summit and for some way down are covered with 

 orchids and with a fair number of ferns, and the latter are 

 abundant in the undergrowth, especially on the damper and 

 shadier eastern side. Lycopodium Phlegmaria is epiphytic 

 in places. 



The great abundance of wind- carried forms strikes one at 

 once in the orchids and ferns, and several bird-carried trees 

 are also very common. Going down the hill one finds fewer 

 and fewer of them, until they disappear at the foot, where it is 

 obviously warmer and drier. Trimen is wrong in stating that 

 the peculiar flora of Ritigala all occurs close to the summit, 

 and this being so, I hope at some future time to investigate 

 at any rate the flora .of Friar's Hood, which is almost as 

 lofty as Ritigala, and even further from the main mountain 

 chain. 



A list of the plants observed follows, arranged and named 

 in the order followed in Trimen's Flora of Ceylon, but 

 though this list is as complete as I can make it. it must not 

 be assumed that it is an absolutely complete flora. The area 

 to be explored is considerable, especially as soon as it became 

 evident that the peculiar flora of Ritigala was to be found to 

 some extent lower down than the summit, and the summit 

 area itself requires more careful search. From Galpitigala one 

 cannot reach it before 9.30 and has to leave at 3. Much of the 

 vegetation, too, occurs in places somewhat difficult of access. 

 A careful search just after the rains, say in early February, 

 would probably be rewarded with the discovery of other 

 things. My own intention had been to visit the mountain 

 at that time, but I was delayed, and must consider myself 

 fortunate to have seen it when I did. Unfortunately tin- 

 very serious accident that befell me within a few days has 

 somewhat destroyed the vividness of my recollections, but I 

 had already entered everything that had occurred to me in my 

 note books. 



