83 



CHAP. III. 



VEGETATION. — TREES AND PLANTS. 



Although the luxuriant vegetation of Ceylon lias at all 

 times been the theme of enthusiastic admiration, its flora 

 does not probably exceed 3000 pheenogamic plants -^ ; 

 and notwithstanding that it has a number of endemic 

 species, and a few genera, which are not found on the 

 great Indian peninsula, still its botanical features may be 

 described as those characteristic of the southern regions 

 of Hindustan and the Dekkan. The result of some recent 

 experiments has, however, afforded a curious confirmation 

 of the opinion ventured by Dr. Gardner, that, regarding 

 its botany geographically, Ceylon exhibits more of the 

 Malayan flora and that of the Eastern Archipelago, than 

 of any portion of India to the west of it. Two plants pe- 

 cuhar to Malacca, the nutmeg and the mangustin, have 

 been attempted, but unsuccessfuU}^, to be cultivated in 

 Bengal ; but in Ceylon the former has been reared near 

 Colombo with such singular success that its produce now 

 begins to figure in the exports of the island ; — and 

 mangustins, which, ten years ago, were exhibited as 



^ The prolific vegetation of the was 2670 ; of which 2025 were di- 

 island is likely to cause exaggeration cotyledonous, and 044 monocotA'ledo- 

 intheestimate of its variety. Dr. Gard- nous flowering phmts, besides 247 

 ner, shortly after his appointment as ferns and lycopods. When it is con- 

 superintendent of the Botanic Garden sidered that this is nearly double the 

 ativandy, in-miting to Sir W. Hooker, indigenous flora of England, and little 

 conjectured that the Ceylon flora under one fhirfiefh of the entire 

 might extend to 4000 or 5000 species, number of plants hitherto described 

 But from a recent Report of the pre- over the world, the botanical rich- 

 sent curator, Mr. Thwaites, it appears ness of Ceylon, in proportion to its 

 that the indigenous phrenognniic area, must be regarded as equal to 

 plants discovered up to August, 1850, that of any portion of the globe. 



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