A BOTANICAL RECONNAISSANCE IN SOUTHEASTERN 



ASIA. 



By A. S. Hitchcock. 



[With 11 plates.] 



The following sketch of the region is based upon a visit made in 

 1921 to the Philippines, Japan, China, and Indo- China for the pur- 

 pose of studying and collecting grasses for the United States Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. 



The itinerary was as follows, the localities referring to places 

 where collections were made : 



Philippines: Vicinity of Manila, Los Baiios, Baguio. 



Japan: Yokohama, Tokio, Lake Hakone, Mt. Fuji, Nikko and 

 Lake Chuzenji, Kyoto, Nagasaki. 



China : Shanghai, Nanking, Killing, Hongkong, Canton, Yingtak, 

 Shiuchow, Whampoa, Lohfau, Macao, Pakhoi, island of Hainan. 



Indo-China : Haiphong, Hanoi, Vinh, Hue, Tourane. 



PHILIPPINES. 



These islands have been so well exploited biologically by the 

 Bureau of Science that only time enough was spent here to obtain 

 a general view of the grass flora. The native vegetation has been 

 largely replaced in the vicinity of Manila by introduced species, so 

 that most of the grasses here belong to the category of weeds. 



The grass supply for horses and other animals in Manila is fur- 

 nished partly by roadside species but largely by Homalocenchrus 

 hexandms. This species is found in wet soil in the tropics of both 

 hemispheres, but it was surprising to find it cultivated for forage. 

 Large fields in the vicinity of Manila are devoted to this grass, the 

 plants being set out from divisions of the tufts, and treated much 

 in the same manner as rice. The grass is cut, tied in bundles, and 

 transported green to the city. The usual name applied to it is 

 zacate, the Spanish name for grass. 



One of the commonest grasses is cogon (Imperata cylindrica), 

 which is found also in tropical Asia. It is an aggressive species, 

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