284 



Seifriz: Plants on Mt. Gedeh, Java 



ing from the mountain side and the several fumaroles in the 

 crater emitting fumes of sulphur are the only indications that 

 Mt. Gedeh is a volcano in the dormant state. Mt. Pangerango 

 (Fig. i), whose beautiful conical form commands admiration, 



and Mt. Sela are both 



extinct. The botanical ex- 

 plorations described on the 

 following pages refer pri- 

 marily to Mt. Gedeh, 

 though some mention is 

 made of plants of interest 

 found on the two neigh- 

 boring peaks. 



Midway up the slope 

 of Mt. Gedeh is the gov- 

 ernment experimental sta- 

 tion of Tjibodas ("white 

 river"). The laboratory, 

 cottage, and garden at 

 Tjibodas serve as a base 

 for botanical excursions 

 into the mountain forests 

 beyond. The Tjibodas 

 Garden contains numerous 

 interesting plants, notably 

 the renowned grass trees, 

 Xanthorrhoea Preissii 

 (Plate 15, fig. i). These 

 The superb rasamala, A Itingia liliaceous trees are natives 

 excelsa. This tree (in the center background) of the Australian savan- 

 is 150 feet high. Note the straight uniform nahs. The twin specimens 

 trunk. The tree-fern is an Alsophila, A 2 [n the Tjibodas Garden are 

 feet high. f . . . , 



laminar to botanists 



through the illustration in Haberlandt's "Botanische Tropen- 

 reise." The trees have doubled in size since Haberlandt saw 

 them thirty years ago. 



Back of Tjibodas, extending to the summits of Mts. Gedeh, 

 Pangerango, and Sela, is a virgin forest of supreme beauty, with 

 a flora unsurpassed, if indeed it is approached, by that of any 

 other similar region in the world. One of the most striking feat- 



Fig. 2. 



