NOTE ON THE FLORA OF MAHABLESHWAR AND MATHERAN. 137 



Gymnema sylvestre, which is an extensive climber, with small yellow 

 flowers, appearing in the hot weather. The leaves of this plant, 

 when chewed, possess the strange property of destroying for a time 

 the taste for sugar, while exercising no effect on the taste for 

 substances other than saccharine. If two or three leaves be chewed 

 and the tongue and palate moistened with the juice, the result of 

 taking a little sugar in the mouth is very curious. It appeal's just 

 like so much sand, while salt or anything not saccharine tastes just 

 as usual. 



Of the Log&niace^;, the Buddleia asiatica is the only plant of 

 the Order at Mahableshwar. It is very rare. There is one plant at 

 Lingmala, near the out-houses of the bungalow, and I have seen a 

 plant on the Fitzgerald Ghat. Of the Gentians, the little purple 

 Exacicm Lawii is all over the Mahableshwar hill, in October, amongst 

 the grass, but dies very soon after the rains cease. The Swertia 

 decussata is found at Mahableshwar occasionally, but not common 

 there. It is very abundant on the hill top above the Panchgani 

 travellers' bungalow. An infusion of this plant is used by the 

 natives as a febrifuge. 



The Order BoraginejE is represented on both hills by the genus 

 Paracaryum. 



The Paracaryum ccelestinum is known as the Mahableshwar 

 " Forget -me-not.'' It is very abundant both here and at Matheran. 



Two other Paracaryurns are tolerably common at Mahableshwar, 

 but as far as I know, do not occur at Matheran. The P. rnala- 

 baricum is the more common, and may be found in large quantities 

 at the Bund. P. Lambertianum may be found on the cliff, opposite 

 the Dhobi's Waterfall, below General Barr's bungalow. Of the 

 Solanace.e, the Solanum giganteum is very abundant at Maha- 

 bleshwar, but does not, as far as I recollect, occur at Matheran. 

 It is to be found everywhere on the former hill, and its bunches 

 of red berries are handsome. / 



The Heierophragma Roxbvrghii, which is very common at 

 Matheran, does not seem to thrive at Mahableshwar. I only know of 

 two trees at the latter place, and these are poor stunted specimens. 

 One of them is just over the Yenna Waterfall, and the other a few 

 yards beyond the 30th mile on the Satara Road. 



Of the Acanthape.e, Thunbergia fragrans may be found all along 

 the Panchgani Ghat, and on the road from Panchgani to Maha- 

 bleshwar, but, strange to say, it ceases at the 68th mile, half way 

 18 



