Malaysian Phytogeography and Polynesian Flora 261 



ignore the biology of Malaysia from which, as a center of origin 

 and dispersal, it seems certain that a large number of the present 

 Polynesian types of plants and animals have been derived. 



Within Malaysia, in large measure because of its geological 

 history, there developed two great centers of origin and dis- 

 persal; one was the Borneo-Java-Sumatra-Malay Peninsular part 

 of ancient Sundaland, the other the New Guinea part of ancient 

 Papualand. Plants and animals extended their ranges from these 

 two centers: from the first, most of them went north into the 

 Asiatic continent and northeast into the Philippines; and from 

 the second, they went north through Gilolo, the Moluccas, and 

 Celebes into the Philippines, south into eastern Australia, and 

 east into Polynesia. 



