40 ON THE VEGETATION OF MALAYSIA, 



the well-known oil-cavity. This tree, I was informed, is called 

 " Dau," and by the French "I'arbre a huile." It is stated that the 

 bast is the part from which the oil only fiows, at least that is the 

 Anamese idea, which is incorrect, for the cavity is always made 

 in the heart- wood. 



The order is well known in Biirmah to the north of the Malay 

 Peninsula. Here Dipterocarpus is one of the commonest and best 

 known trees, and gives its name to the forests of the plains. It is 

 called "Eng,'' and the Eng forests are truly the characteristic 

 features of the Burmese region. Kurz in his " Forest Flora of 

 British Burmah " often refers to them, classifying two parts of his 

 botanical regions as the " Hill and Plain forests." It will help 

 our comprehension of the Malayan flora to quote his words : — 



" Eng or Laterite Forests. — The principal constituents of this 

 forest are Byoo (Dillenia 2^ulcherri'ma), Phthya (Shorea ohtusd)^ 

 Engyeen [Pentacme siamensis), Joeben ( Walsura villosa), Moon- 

 deing [Lojyhopetalum wallichii), Myoukzee (Zizyj^hus jujuha), 

 Lam-bo {Buchanania latifolia), Thit-say [Melanorrhoea usitata), 

 Dan-yat (^Symi^locos racemosa), Tay (Diospyros burmanica), Tasha 

 [Emhlica officinalis), Ziphyoo {E. inacrocarjm), Engyen (Aporosa 

 iinacTopliylla), Yemine (A. villosa), Yindyke fDalhergia cultrata), 

 Wendlandia tinctoria, Toukkyan (Terminalia macrocarjoa), 

 Banbwe (Carey a arhorea), Kone-pyenma ( Lager stroemia macro- 

 car pa), Khaboung (Strychnos nux vomica), Xabbhay (Odina 

 wodier), Yingat {Gardenia ohtusifolia), Thameng-sa-nee {G. 

 turgida), Tha-byay-hpyoo {^Eugenia jamholana), Sideroxylon 

 p)arvifolium, Na-yu-wai (Flacourtia sajnda), and others. The 

 Eng (Dipterocarpus tuherculatus ) is the characteristic tree of this 

 forest. Moondein (Cycas siamensis) is plentiful in the Prome 

 forests. Palms are represented only by a stemless Date-palm 

 (Phoenix acaulis) called Thin-boung, and here and there by an 

 erect much-reduced rattan called Kyeing-kha {Calamus gracilis). 

 Of bamboo are seen only Myin-wa {Dendrocalamus strictus), and 

 less so Tei-wa (Bambusa tulda) along the outskirts of the forest. 

 Climbing vegetation has almost disappeared. Ferns are rare, 



