302 Seifriz: Plants on Mt. Gedeh, Java 



no species and only two genera are common to both the second 

 and the fourth subzones. 



The fourth subzone extends to the summit of Pangerango 

 with no pronounced change in type of vegetation, except at 

 the very top where there is a small alpine plant community, 

 barely more than an acre in area. The plants of this little alpine 

 garden consist of shrubs, herbs, and grasses. Of shrubs there 

 are dwarf Vaccinium, Rapanea, Eurya, and Gaultheria. The 

 fruit of the bush Vaccinium resembles that of the American 

 blueberry, and, though edible, is insipid. 



Among the flowers of this small alpine pasture one of the 

 prettiest is Hypericum Leschenaultii, much resembling the evening 

 primrose of American pastures. Another leminder of fields at 

 home is the buttercup, Ranunculus javanicus. Then there is a 

 dandelion-like plant, Sonchus asper, the pale blue violet Viola 

 serpens, the weed Plantago major, and a wild strawberry. In- 

 deed, one could well imagine himself in a New England pasture. 

 The small yellow, tubular flower of Primula imperialis deserves 

 mention because it was singled out by the Dutch naturalist 

 Junghuhn as "Queen among all the herbs which inhabit the 

 summits of the mountains." So exalted a position for Primula 

 imperialis is hardly deserved when Impatiens platypetala is near. 



The view from the summit of Pangerango is one of the finest 

 in all Java. Water-covered rice fields, one of the most charming 

 and characteristic features of oriental tropical agriculture, lie 

 close to the mountain base (Fig. i), and beyond groves of cocoa- 

 nut palms are distinguishable. Other mountain peaks stand 

 silhouetted against the soft color of the morning sky. One is 

 looking over the " Preanger Regent," the most picturesque 

 province of all Java. 



The trail to the crater of Mt. Gedeh differs from that to the 

 summit of Mt. Pangerango, just described, in two striking par- 

 ticulars: first, the fourth subzone of Gedeh is divided into halves, 

 distinguished by several prominent characteristics; and second, 

 there is on Gedeh a fifth subzone of considerable area with a 

 very distinctive flora. 



The trees of the lower half of the fourth subzone on Gedeh 

 are covered with a profuse growth of moss. Thick, water-soaked 

 wads of moss pad every trunk. Suddenly, about midway in 

 the zone, the moss covering disappears, and the trees are be- 



