36 UKI,.\TION IiH;T\VEEN CMMA'l'K AND VEGETATION. 



of the imiiioiliate neighbourhood of Trinconialee and of Batti- 

 caloa, the eastern side of the island is a terra incognita to the 

 botanist. 



Generally speaking, the first 2000 feet of tlie mountain range 

 is covered with a dense forest of large trees, which are charac- 

 terised by a foliage of a much larger size than that of the low- 

 country forests, and nearly of a uniform dark green colour, ex- 

 cept, indeed, wlien the large iron-wood tree (Mesua Ceylanica) 

 is putting forth its young leaves, wliich are of a blood-red colour, 

 and at tliat season give a remarkable aspect to the forest. To 

 the general observer the trees of the next 2000 feet appear but 

 little different from those of the first, but tlie eye of the botanist 

 can at once detect many species in both that are peculiar to 

 each. The mass of the herbaceous vegetation of both is made 

 up of Ferns, Scitaraineae, Urticaceae, Cyrtandreoe, and Com- 

 positse. One of the most marked features of tiie second 2000 

 feet is the existence of large open grassy tracts on the sides of 

 the hills to which the natives give tlie name of Pattanas. Such 

 tracts extend to the highest parts of the island, differing, more 

 or less, at different elevations in the nature of their vegetation. 

 Scattered through the lower ones, and giving them an orchard- 

 like appearance, are two trees which are almost peculiar to them. 

 These are the Careya arborea and Eniblica officinalis. The her- 

 baceous vegetation consists chiefly of numerous tall, coarse 

 grasses, growing for the most part in tufts, the most common of 

 which is the Lemon Grass (Andropogon Schoenanthus), inter- 

 mingled with which are several Compositse, principally consist- 

 ing of several species of Blumea, Knoxia corymbosa, the repre- 

 sentative of the old and accurate historian of Ceylon, the broom- 

 like Atylosia Candollei, and Irapatiens balsamina, the origin of 

 the common garden balsam. It is on the forest land of this tract 

 that the principal coffee estates have been established. 



The next 2000 feet, which brings us to an elevation of 6000 

 feet above the level of the sea, and into a region which has a 

 much lower temperatui'e than any of the preceding, is still 

 covered with forests having occasional patches of Pattana, but 

 both give support to a very different vegetation. The trees are 

 much smaller, grow closer together, have their stems and 

 branches covered with pendulous masses of Lichens and Mosses, 

 and many kinds of small Orchidese. Their leaves are mostly 

 small, and their varied tints remind one of the autumnal forests 

 of more temperate climes. The under vegetation consists of 

 numerous species of beautiful herbaceous and suffruticose Balsams 

 (Lnpatiens), a great variety of suffruticose Acanthacere (Nilu), 

 beautiful and delicate Ferns of all sizes, from those scarcely a 

 few inches in height to tree ones, which throw up their stems 



