282 BOTANICAL INFOIliM ATION. 



with hemispliagrical bushes of prickly Statices, and with dif- 

 ferent sorts of Thistles, and ArtemisicB; and it is only in damp 

 ravines that any thing approaching to variety is to be found. 

 In such Euphrasia^ Primula, Jimcus, various Carices, 

 Swertia, Gentimia, Parnassia, Pedicidares, Ranunculi, Silene, 

 Astragali, ^c, occur. One is perhaps, on the whole, most 

 struck with the abundance of the prickly Statices, and prickly 

 Astragali. The grand orders are Composita, especially Car- 

 duacecE, Legiiminosce, Lahiata:, BoraginecB, Umhellifer(B, Cruci- 

 fercB, Silenacece, Chenopodiacece, Graminedc. From what I 

 remember of the superb Flora Grceca, I think that a Bauer 

 could produce one much similar by coming to this country." 



Rough Notes on Ceylon Scenery, hy Capt. William Champion; 



and Observations on the Banyan Tree, Ficus Indica. 

 The following notes on Ceylon scenery and vegetation were 

 made during our friend's very brief stay in that most inter- 

 esting island, and were communicated along with some very 

 clever sketches, to which the remarks refer, and which we 

 regret it is not in our power also to lay before our readers. 

 The first drawing represents the 



Vlangodah Lotus Tank. — When Bishop Heber visited 

 Ceylon, Veangodah possessed a double Bungalow Rest House. 

 It is now a ruin ; but we were able to sketch \\\e, Lotus Tank 

 mentioned in his journal. The-tree to the left is a Sappan, 

 with its branches of black pods. Beneath it tlie Siritilla, or 

 Ipomtsa Zeylanica, is trailing its rose-coloured blossoms. 

 Over the tank waves a bamboo, and die Nelumhitnn in flower 

 is the rose-coloured variety. The Palms are Cocoa and 

 Areca. The tree with horizontal branches is the Ceiba, 

 Wolf, or Bombax pentandrum; its pods are filled with cotton. 

 Above it rises a Teak (Tectona grajidis,) with enormous 

 leaves and heads of white flowers several feet long. The 

 Pepper vine occasionally attaches itself to it. 



Between Veangodah and Amblessoose. — My intention 

 ^va.s to illustrate the journal of an expedition from Columbo 



