JAVA 117 



composed of the debris of volcanic matter, of calcareous 

 rocks, or of sandstone ; but it varies far more according 

 to the elevation of the land, which gives rise to at least 

 six different botanical zones, which are thus described by 

 Dr. Bleeker : — " On the low coast-lands we find superb 

 palms, bananas, aroids, Amaraiithacete, papilionaceous 

 plants, and poisonous Euphorbiaceee. Scarcely do we 

 ascend 1000 feet above the sea when our eyes are 

 struck by the quantity of ferns which already prepon- 

 derate over other plants, and here, too, we find magnifi- 

 cent groves of slender bamboos. The farther we ascend 

 the greater is the change in the aspect of the vegetation. 

 Palms and leguminous plants become rare, and bamboos 

 less abundant. In place of these we find forests of Ftcus, 

 with their tall trunks, spreading branches, and thick 

 foliage, overshadowing more lowly trees and a variety of 

 humble plants, and exhibiting a majesty which even sur- 

 passes in splendour the palms of the coast. Here, too, 

 the ferns increase in numbei', and beautiful tree-ferns 

 abound, often covering the sides of the valleys with their 

 aerial crowns of fronds. Orchideous plants now present 

 themselves in considerable numbers, clothing the old trees 

 with a parasitic vegetation. Higher still the figs are 

 mingled with gigantic Liquidambars, with white trunks. 

 To the Orchideee are added the curious Xepenthes, or 

 pitcher-plants, while the numerous ferns are accompanied 

 by Loranthacese and elegant Melastomas. Above these 

 comes the region of oaks and laurels, and here the Mela- 

 stomas and orchideous plants become still more abundant, 

 while the vegetation receives a new ornament in the 

 elegant Freycinetias, which are found as pseudo-parasites, 

 rubiaceous plants being at the same time abundant, grow- 

 ing by themselves, and flourishing in the shade. There 

 is but one region above that of oaks and laurels, where 



