FLORA 207 



monsoon brings fine weather, but sometimes blows with con- 

 siderable strength. 



A remarkable feature of the Nicobars is the manner in which 

 the general botanical appearance of the islands coincides with 

 the geological division, for, while the southern group (Great 

 and Little Nicobar with Kachal) are wooded from beach to 

 summit, the forests of the other islands are restricted to the 

 plutonic rocks and the slopes and dells of the older alluvium, 

 while the hilly plateaux and ridges are covered with park-like 

 grass heaths. 



The most prominent features of the flora are, perhaps, the 

 quantities of Barringtonia speciosa, which, with their large shiny 

 leaves and beautiful crimson-tipped tassel-like blossoms, grow 

 all along the coasts ; the tall screw-pines {Pa7idanus larum), bear- 

 ing the immense fruits that provide the main food of the 

 natives ; and the graceful Nicobar palms {Ptychoraphis augusta), 

 which occur in all the forests. Giant bamboos are extremely 

 scarce, but the climbing species {Dinachloa) is common every- 

 where in the jungle, and beautiful tree ferns {Alsophila albo-setaced) 

 grow in the forest and along the river banks of the south. 



A mangosteen {Garcmia, sp.) and a cinnamon {Cinjiamomum 

 obtusifoliuni) grow wild, as do the pepper vine {Piper betel) that 

 supplies the sireh leaf, and the betel palm {Areca catechu). 

 These two are also cultivated, and it is said that the latter is 

 not indigenous. 



The large numbers of milky climbers leads to the hope that 

 some rubber-yielding varieties may be discovered capable of 

 supplying a sufficient quantity of raw material for export. The 

 vanilla orchid occurs, and the southern forests produce quantities 

 of rattan, both as a small variety that is exported, and a large 

 cane two inches or so in diameter, which the natives use for the 

 horizontal rafters in the circular framework of their houses. 



Semecarpus heterophyllus, Morinda citrifolia, Artocarpus 

 lakoocha^ and A. chaplasha^ Cordia viixa, Mallotus philipenensis^ 

 and Amoinum fenzlii, may be mentioned specially as species 

 capable of yielding commercial products ; but their sparseness, 



