80 Journal of the F.M.S. Mnseuma. [Vol. X, 



Between the Malayan and Tenasserimese floras there 

 must be a transition zone, or area where the two floras 

 overlap and intermingle, though the zone is probably not 

 so broad as the zoological one between Indo-Chinese and 

 Malaysian animals since the latter are more adventurous 

 than plants. 



When travelling between Penang and Bangkok by rail- 

 way I have been struck more than once by the apparant 

 (for I am no botanist) marked difference in the vegetation 

 north and south of the Bandon River ; and it may be that as 

 the Malayan flora extends practically without adulteration 

 north to about Singgora so does the pure Tenasserimese 

 flora stretch southwards to Junk Seylon : and that 

 the area between the Bandon and Singgora breaks 

 constitutes a true intermediate region which has 

 derived its vegetation from both north and south ; though 

 probably for climatic reasons, and possibly because of a 

 less effective break near Bandon, northern plants are more 

 numerous in it. 



Perhaps we have, therefore, three floras : — a Tenas- 

 serimese, a Malayo-Tenasserimese and a Malayan one : but 

 they all occur in the Malay Peninsula. 



Not only is there a north and* south difference but there 

 is also one of east and west : this may be superficial and 

 unimportant and due to the presence or absence of certain 

 forms of vegetation rather than to different floras ; but 

 anyone who has travelled or sailed along both shores of the 

 northern part of the Peninsula from Mergui to Penang and 

 from Bangkok to Singgora cannot fail to be struck by the 

 contrast between the more forested west and the more 

 grassy and scrub-covered east. 



Though perhaps arising from nature of the land surface 

 these differences should be kept in mind while analysing 

 the flora as long as collections are few and sporadic. 



DILLENIACEAE. 



1. Delima sarmentosa, L. 



Koh Jam Yai : Tree ; flowers white ; 6628. Distrib. 

 India, Malaya. This plant is a scandent shrub. 



2. DiUenia aurea, Sm. 



Tapli : Petals bright lemon-yellow, centre apricot- 

 yellow ; tree ; 6731. Distrib. India, Malay Peninsula. 



ANONACEAE. 



3. Desmos chinensis, Lour. 



Tapli : Fruit green, tipped paler ; small tree, 8 ft. ; 

 6794. Distrib. Cochin-China, Malay Peninsula. 



4. Melodorum rubiginosum. Hook. fil. 



Tapli : Mixed with Desmos discolor ; 6794. 



5. Orophea cuneiformis, King 



Tasan : Green, base of petals pink ; 7002. Distrib. 

 Malay Peninsula. 



