ON A COLLECTION OF PLANTS FROM THE BATANES AND 

 BABUYANES ISLANDS. 



By Elmer D. ^Merrill. 

 {From the Botanical >Sectio)i of the Biological Lahorafori/. Bureau of Science, 



Manila, P. I.) 



The Batanes, or Bashi. and tlie Balmyanes Islands form a group of 

 small islands extending from near the north coast of Luzon to within 

 ahout IGO kilometers of the southern point of Formosa. The Batanes 

 are the most northern, consisting of 10 islands, of which the largest are 

 Ihayat, Batan, and Sabtan, and the entire group is of volcanic formation, 

 with the exception of the small islands of Desquey and Ibujos, and 

 possibly Ibayat, nothing Ijeing known regarding the latter, Desquey and 

 Il)ujos l)eing formed of coral limestone. Y'Ami Island, the most 

 northern point of the Philippines, is about 3T0 kilometers north of Cape 

 Engaho the nearest point of Iatzou, 107 kilometers south of the Japanese 

 Island of Little Botel Tobago, and KiO kilometers from the most southern 

 point of Formosa. These islands are separated from Formosa by the 

 Bashi Channel with a minimum depth of 1009 fathoms, while to the 

 south the probably shallow channel of Balintang lies between them 

 and the Babuyanes. It is said that on a clear day the Forniosan moun- 

 tains can be seen frojn the summit of Mount Iraya on Batan Island. 

 The physiography of this group has been considered l)y Mr. Henry G. 

 Ferguson of this Bureau, from whose paper the above information is 

 taken. ^ Sabtan has an area of about 6 square miles, while Batan and 

 Ibayat have each an area of about 27 square miles, the former two being 

 mountainous, the highest peak being Mount Iraya on Batan Island, its 

 altitude being about 1,1-10 m. Ibayat is comparatively low, its highest 

 point being about 240 m. The islands are subject to the heavy monsoons, 

 and typhoons are very prevalent, these constant and heavy winds no 

 doubt having much influence on the vegetation. Batan is largely covered 

 with grass-lands, forests for niost part occurring only in the sheltered 

 ravines. Ibayat is said to be the most fertile island of the group, but 

 is considered to be unhealthy and is sparsely populated, its vegetation 

 being partly forest and partly grass-lands. 



'^This Journal 2 (1908) (Jen. 8ci. 1-24. 



385 



