NOTE ON THE FLORA OF MAHABLESTTWAR AND MATHERAN. 133 



NOTE ON THE FLORA OF MAHABLESHWAR AND 

 MATHERAN. 



By Theodore Cooke, LL.D. F.G.S. 



An observant visitor to Matheran cannot fail to be struck with 

 the way in which certain plants disappear as he ascends the hill 

 from-Narel. The Teak tree (Tectona grandis), the skeleton of whose 

 dried leaves is so like lace-work, disappears before half the ascent 

 is accomplished. The Sterculia urens, which looks as if its bark 

 had been stripped off, and which is a very conspicuous tree along 

 the ascent, also disappears, as well as the Phyllanthus Ernblica, 

 whose gooseberry-like fruit is used by the natives for pickling. 

 On Matheran hill itself, many plants are met with which are not 

 found on the plains below; and as we ascend to a still higher 

 elevation and reach the table-land of Mahableshwar, 2,000 feet 

 above that of Matheran, we find the effect of increased elevation in 

 the gradual thinning out of certain plants, and the appearance of 

 new ones. This is particularly noticeable on the ascent from the 

 Koyna Valley, which is about 1,500 feet below the table-land of 

 Mahableshwar ; as the paths, by several of which the ascent may be 

 accomplished, pass along well- wooded slopes. 



Ascending from the Koyna, the valuable Ain tree (Terminalia 

 tomentosa) is very soon lost to view, and the only representative of 

 the family (Combretace.e) on the hill summit is the Terminalia 

 ckebula, which supplies the Myrobolans so largely exported for 

 the tannin they contain. 



In the same way the Grewia microcos and the Wrightia tinctoria 

 disappear, the former very soon, while the latter is carried up very 

 near to the plateau on the Ghat Road, near the small village of 

 Metala. The Casearia graveolens may be found still higher up, but 

 does not reach the summit, though it grows luxuriantly along the 

 Ghat Boad, not very far below Bombay Point, while the Albizzia 

 stipulata, which is such a conspicuous tree at Matheran, with its 

 dark, reddish-brown, papery pods, and its large, pinkish, brush-like 

 flowers, ceases abruptly on the Fitzgerald Ghat Road, about 4 miles 

 from Mahableshwar. 



Looking through the list, so carefully and laboriously prepared by 

 Mr. Justice Birdwood, I would make the following remarks : — 



The Reinwardtia trigyna, which, in the introductory note to the 

 Catalogue, is said to have been found truly wild on Varandha Ghat, 



