CEYLON. 



35 



Ceylon), Carissa spinarum, Gmelina asiatica, Pleurostylia 

 Wightii, Eugenia bracteata, Elaeodendron Roxburgliii, Ocliiia 

 squaiTOsa, Cassia Fistula, Cassia Roxburgliii, and Memecylon 

 tinctorium. These are cliiefly shrubs and small trees. The large 

 trees, w hich are mostly of no great size, are t\\ o or three species 

 of Terminalia, Bassia longifolia, the Margosa (Azadirachta 

 indica), the Satin wood (Chloroxylon Swietenia), tlie Ceylon 

 Oak. (Schleichera trijuga), the Tamarind (Tamarindus Indica), 

 and the Palmyra ( Borassus flabelliformis), which is jiarticularly 

 abundant on the peninsula of Jatfna.* The mass of the herba- 

 ceous vegetation belongs to the natural orders Scrophularineae, 

 Leguminosae, Ilubiaceae, and Compositae. 



Proceeding southwards through this flat country, a con- 

 siderable difierence in the general appearance of the vegetation 

 is observed, arising no doubt from the greater amount of rain 

 Mliich falls during the course of the year. The trees are not 

 only larger, but their foliage is heavier and of a darker hue ; 

 and the numerous Acacias, which give so striking an appearance 

 to the north, almost disappear. Between Colombo and Galle, 

 shrubs belonging to the natural order Euphorbiaceae are very 

 numerous, both in species and individuals, as well as a variety 

 of Rubiaceae, of whicli the beautiful Ixora coccinea is not tlie 

 least common. It is only in this range that the Pitcher- 

 plant (Nepenthes distillatoria), whicii is not, however, pecu- 

 liar to Ceylon, is met witii, growing in moist places, and 

 supporting itself among the bushes. About Galle, and from 

 thence inland to the base of Adam's Peak, one of the most com- 

 mon shrubs is that whicli has been named, in honour of the great 

 Humboldt, Humboldtia lanrifolia ; and on the low hills, near 

 Galle, a few trees are met witli, which, farther north, do not 

 exist under 1000 feet of elevation, but tliis is easily accounted 

 for by the greater atmosplieric moisture of that district. One of 

 these trees is a new and remarkable species of Durian (Durio 

 zeylanicus, Mihi). It is in this district that the greater number 

 of the Sugar plantations of Ceylon exist. 



The east side of the island being much drier than that of the 

 west, the consequence is that its vegetation has more of the 

 character of that of the northern province than of the opposite 

 coast. It must, however, be remarked that, with the exception 



* Since the above was written I have made a most important addition to 

 the trees of this region, and, indeed, to the Flora of the island, in the shape 

 of the far-famed Upas-tree of Java and the Moluccas (Antiaris toxicaria), 

 having discovered some fine large trees of it a few miles to the eastward of 

 Kornegalle, early in August of the present year (1847). This discovery 

 proves how little the investigation of the vegetable productions of Ceylou 

 has hitherto been attended to. — G. G. 



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