THE PALAEOTROPK 241 



The occurence in northern Luzon of such boreal types as pin 

 oaks, buttercups, lilies, etc., indicates some former connection with 

 the Asiatic mainland. It is unlikely that these entered Luzon 

 via Formosa. The deep water separating the two islands implies 

 a long period of separation, and this is clearly indicated by the 

 very different floras, Formosa having a flora closely related to that 

 of China. 



Austro-Malaya 



The great island of New Guinea or Papua, 1,500 miles long, and 

 with an area of over 300,000 square miles, is the largest island in the 

 Pacific, and with its adjacent small islands is the easternmost 

 member of the Malay Archipelago. The flora is still very in- 

 completely known, but it is evident that while it is predominantly 

 Malayan in character, there is a large infusion of true Australian 

 types. 



The lofty mountain range forming the backbone of the island 

 has the highest peaks of the whole Pacific area, except continental 

 America, some of these being over 15,000 feet elevation. The 

 great range of conditions, between the hot coastal plains and the 

 highest summits where in places permanent snow is found, results 

 in an extraordinarily extensive and varied flora. In most parts 

 of Papua the rainfall is heavy, especially in the western part, but 

 there are much drier sections in the south and east. 



David 1 states that Papua is part of the great "Himalayan- 

 Burman arc, prolonged through the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra. 

 Java and Timor." This relation to the Indo-Malayan region is 

 clearly indicated by the character of the vegetation which in its 

 main features is essentially Malayan, with an intermixture in the 

 cooler mountain districts of northern genera like the oaks and 

 rhododendrons so characteristic of the Himalayan flora, as well as 

 many northern herbaceous genera. While a majority of the genera, 

 and a good many species are identical with those of the western 

 Malayan region, there is a very large proportion of endemic 

 genera and species, and the flora is a very distinct one. a 



The greater part of Papua is heavily forested except where 

 lalang grass has invaded cut-over or burned forest land. The for 



1 David, T. W. E., Federal Handbook for Australia, p. 320, Melbourne, 1014. 



2 Maiden, J. H., Federal Handbook for Australia, p. 179. 



