INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 145 



erect and scandent Bauhinim, Acacia, especially A. Catechu, 

 Conocarpus, Terminalia, and Nauclea cordifolia are charac- 

 teristic forms. All of these extend likewise to the Himalaya, 

 but a few species have their northern limit in the mountains 

 of Bahar and Bandelkhand, such as Cochlospermum Gossypium, 

 Chickrassia tabularis, Swietenia febrifuga, Boswellia thurifera, 

 Hardwickia binata, and Bassia latifolia, which are all more or 

 less abundantly distributed throughout the province. No palm 

 is indigenous but Phcenioc acaulis ; for the common Calamus of 



Bengal, which extends north to the base of the hills at Mon- 

 ghir, is not found in the interior. 



The flora of the mountain Parasnath, an isolated peak 

 which searcely attains a temperate elevation, presents few pe- 

 culiar features. The upper part is however more humid than 

 the base, and plants indicative of a moist climate, such as 

 parasitical Orchidea, Ferns, Arum, and others, make their ap- 

 pearance in small numbers. The temperate forms, Berberis, 

 Clematis, Thalictrum, etc., are all Himalayan species, but most 

 of them are widely diffused plants, extending also to the penin- 

 sula. Vernonia divergens, common near the summit, occurs 

 also in Bandelkhand, and is equally abundant throughout the 

 drier hills of the peninsula. 



The Son valley in climate and vegetation is identical with 

 the drier narts of the uDner Gansretic vallev. or the nlains of 



ur (Kvmore 



features 



forms 



Hamilton 



made considerable collections in the Mon 



mahal hills, and 

 also visited parts 



*3 



M'CleH 

 greatest 



geological report. It is probable that the 

 form is to be met with in the more eastern hills, which, from 

 their proximity to the Bay of Bengal, are more humid, and 

 that to the westward the flora approaches more and more to 

 that of the drier parts of the peninsula. u 



