IN CEYLON. 15' 



feet. Here there is one specimen of IX Embrvopteris 

 measuring no less than 163, feet in circumference, not allowing 

 for the undulations in outline, which, if taken into account, 

 would give a total circumference of over 20 feet and a height 

 of 130 feet. Specimens of D. Ebenum also occur in the same 

 forest which have a circumference of nearly 13 feet and a 

 total height of 100 feet. 



With the wet zone species there is likewise a wide range 

 of variability, though only few species attain the huge 

 dimensions of the dry zone plants. 



Among the smallest trees we may place D. pruriens, since 

 in the Sinha Raja district a single plant is often of convenient 

 size for a herbarium sheet. This species, when it attains its 

 maximum dimensions along the rocky slopes of the Peak 

 Wilderness, rarely exceeds a total height of 9 metres (BO feet) 

 and a circumference of 30'5 cm. (12 inches). 



In point of size, D. acuta and D^ attenuate come next to 

 D. pruriens. In the wet forests of Pasdun korale these 

 species occur in the form of small trees, from 20 to 30 feet in 

 height and 1 to 4 inches in diameter. The leaders have often 

 a weeping habit, particularly in D. attenuata, and though only C^ A.. l~ 

 1 inch in diameter, may bear abundance of flowers and fruits. 

 One specimen of D. attenuata was obtained in flower in the 

 Wewella forest which had a short straggling leader only 

 14-0 cm. in diameter. Trees of these species frequently occur 

 in groups of three to fourteen trunks matted together by dense 

 woody roots at the common base of the trunks, and this, 

 together with the weeping habit, is suggestive of the bamboo 

 clumps growing in the same area. 



D. hirsuta, though occurring so abundantly along the 

 streams around Ratnapura, Eratna, and Hiniduma, rarely 

 exceeds 9 metres (30 feet) in height and 20 cm. (8 inches) 

 in diameter. When the stem is only 7-5 to 10-2 cm. (3 to 4 

 inches) in diameter the plant bears fertile seeds. 



D. Thwaitesii, except in the Hiniduma district, is a tree 

 similar in size to D. hirsuta, and in the Hewessa and Palakete 



