Chap. Ill] MOUNTAIN REGIONS IN THE TROPICS 



73* 



iii. CELEBES. 

 Regarding the regions on the high mountains in Celebes we have no in- 

 formation. The occurrence of a dense forest of Pandanus (Fig 432), on the 

 summit of the Lokon, 1,560 

 meters high, is extremely 

 peculiar. 



iv. BORNEO. 



The highest peak of the 

 Malay Archipelago, Kina- 

 balu in Borneo, attains 

 13,698 feet (4,175 meters) 

 above the level of the neigh- 

 bouring sea. Stapf ' has 

 given a description of its 

 stages of vegetation based 

 on available collections and 

 notes, from whichthe follow- 

 ing is extracted : — 



The base of the mountain is 

 covered with fields and young 

 forest on soil formerly culti- 

 vated. Above this belt, which 

 is no longer anywhere occupied 

 by indigenous vegetation, there 

 extends a dense typical rain- 

 forest up to 7,000 feet (2,134 

 meters) above sea-level. Un- 

 derwood, lianes, including many 

 rattan-palms, and epiphytes, 

 especially rhododendrons and 

 orchids, appear here in great 

 abundance. 



Above 7,000 ft. the forest has 

 been investigated ov\y along 

 a narrow ridge, where it is ex- 

 posed to strong winds and consequently assumes the character of elfin-wood. ' The 

 trees are stunted, twisted, and weather-beaten, often being bent across the path. The 

 trunks and branches are clothed inches deep with dripping moss and festooned with 

 long beard-like lichens. Only conifers grow into fine trees here in some more favour- 

 able places. The tendency of some of the trees and shrubs to grow gregariously is 

 distinctly noticeable. The foliage of these trees and shrubs is often crowded on short 

 and thick branches ; the leaves, sessile or supported by short and stout petioles, are very 

 coriaceous, of a dark green colour, glabrous— at least above— and glossy. They show 



1 Stapf, op. cit. 



*4r 



Fig. 429. Alpine flora of Java. Leucopogon javanicus. 

 Summit of Widodaren, East Java. Natural size. 



