134 Floristik, Geographie, Systematik etc. 



the slopes of the Siwalik Range in Northern India. The 

 memoir is a preliminary one and takes up important economic 

 questions for that part of India, the utilisation of forest grasslands 

 either as grazing grounds and fodder-producing areas for cattle 

 and other stock of the native population, or as areas for timber 

 production. The author has specially observed the more important 

 grasses and to some extent the woody plants. The introduction 

 (p. 1—38) on ecological conditions and adaptations is based on the 

 general works of Warming and Seh im per so far as they relate 

 to Indian conditions, and few references are made to more specia- 

 lised memoirs available for areas more or less comparable. A scheme 

 of ecological Classification for India is suggested: primary divisions 

 are aquatic and terrestrial Vegetation, secondary divisions are xero-, 

 meso-, and hygrophilous, with subdivisions of each into plant com- 

 munities of grassland and woodland. 



The area is briefly described (p. 39 — 49) as to topography, cli- 

 mate and Vegetation, and there is a useful orographical map provided 

 which shows the distribution ofthe reserved forest. The investigation 

 of forest grasses was carried out by selecting a few important spe- 

 cies which were studied in the field to obtain an ecological record, 

 and were eultivated in an experimental garden under closer Obser- 

 vation as to habit and growth; some notes an tree-growth are also 

 included. 



A summarised table indicates the more widely distributed types 

 of grassland in the locality along with the correlated types of 

 woodland: 



1) Xerophilous steppe with grass-communities of Andropogon 

 monticola, Aristida cyanantha, Triraphis madagascariensis, Saccharum 

 spontaneum (xerophilous form), 5. Munja (xer. form); the correlated 

 woodland Vegetation is open with clumps of Zisyphtis Jujuba, Adha- 

 toda Vasica, Dalbergia Sissoo, and Acacia spp. forming "xerophilous 

 miscellaneous forest". 



2) Mesophilous Moist Savannah with Sacch. Munja dominant; 

 the woodland includes many communities forming a closer crop, 

 "mesophilous dry miscellaneous forest". 



3) mesophilous Moist Savannah with Sacch. Narenga dominant; 

 the woodland is Sal forest with Shorea robusta dominant. 



4) Wet Savannah with Erianthus Ravennae and a woodland of 

 many communities forming a "mesophilous moist miscellaneous 

 forest". 



The greater part of the memoir (p. 50—117) gives descriptions 

 of the grasses named above with addition of Imperata arundinacea. 

 In each case details are given of distribution, botanical description 

 of vegetative and floral parts, taxonomy, ecological notes, and eco- 

 nomic uses, but for these the original must be consulted. 



The last chapter (p. 118 — 126) contains suggestions as to the 

 practical treatment of grasslands, mainly through systematic bur- 

 ning, either with a view to fodder-produetion or to afforestation. 



The numerous excellent plates have reference to the grasses, 

 and include photographs of the type of Vegetation with each of the 

 above grasses as dominant species, also detailed drawings of the 

 botanical characters of the species; others show the correlated 

 woodland Vegetation. W. G. Smith. 



Mentz, A., En Foraarsexkursion i Les landes. [Eine 



