GENERAL CHARACTER OF TEE FLORA. 



have to stand the hot dry winds of FebruaFy and March 

 while the new ones appear in May, when the relative 

 humidity of the air is very low. They are therefore markedly 

 coriaceous, and possess a polished surface which reflects the 

 sun's rays. On the hills the trees become low and gnarled 

 with relatively massive stems and small leaves. The Sal 

 however, is neither long enough deciduous, nor sufficiently 

 xerophilous, to grow on the driest aspects, and it is there 

 supplanted by other trees, e.g., Cleistanthus collinus, 

 Anogeissus latifolia, Odina Wodier, Nyctanthes Arbor-tristis 

 and other species which constitute much of the so-called 

 " Mixed Forest '-' type. On the driest and most exposed 

 rocks are found certain plants entirely xerophilous in struc- 

 ture. Such are fleshy Euphorbias with corky bark and 

 fleshy leaves appearing only in the rains, and Sarcostemma 

 with fleshy quill-like branches and pretty waxy flowers. 

 Most of the trees, however, escape the dessicating influence 

 of the long dry season by shedding their leaves, or even 

 (some Phyllantheae) their branches, and some, which are 

 associated with, the xerophilous plants above mentioned, have 

 very thick twigs and remain without their leaves for an 

 extraordinary time. Thus Sterculia urens is leafless from 

 November to May or even to June, Odina Wodier and 

 Cochlospermum Gossypium from November to May. A 

 thin, papery, flaky bark, or a very white stem, is character- 

 istic of species growing on sun-scorched, hills, and these white 

 leafless giants, flinging their bare arms to the furnace blasts 

 of the western winds of May give a wild and weird look to 

 many of the hill tops. 



It is noteworthy that many of these trees which are 

 leafless for prolonged periods have a chlorophyll layer under 

 their white outer bark. 



A very promineDt rock-loving species is Gardenia latifolia. 

 The minute seeds germinate in the crevices of bare rocks, 

 the crevices becoming filled with the growing rootstock which 

 also forms a cushion over the top. The tree has a clean 



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