iv TROPICAL FLORAS 45 



perate Andes, where Orchids are known to be extremely 

 plentiful, the same proportion may exist ; but no such dis- 

 trict appears to have been yet sufficiently explored by 

 botanists. Before going farther it will be as well to give 

 the sequence of the orders in the districts already referred to. 



TROPICAL SIKHIM (up to 6500 feet) (2000 species) 



1. Orchideae (i) 



2. Leguminosas (2) 



3. Gramineae (3) 



4. Urticaceae (8) 



5. Euphorbiaceae (5) 



6. Cyperaceae (7) 



7. Rubiaceae (4) 



8. Compositae (9) 



9. Asclepiadeas 

 10. Acanthaceae (6) 



The numbers enclosed in brackets give the sequence in 

 Burma, which is very similar, except that Scitamineae (the 

 Gingerworts) is the tenth order, while Asclepiadeae is 

 excluded. 



The Malay Peninsula differs still more from the flora 

 of north-eastern India, in being more exclusively equatorial 

 and typical Malayan, and in this case I am able, through 

 the kind assistance of Mr. J. T. Gamble, to give the number 

 of species for the first twelve orders, which will be interesting 

 for comparison with others to be given farther on. 



MALAY PENINSULA (5138 species) 



1. Orchidaceae . . 540 



2. Rubiaceae . . 312 



3. Leguminosae . . 266 



4. Euphorbiaceae . . 255 



5. Anonaceae . . 178 



6. Palmae . . . 163 



7. Lauraceae . . 153 



8. Gramineae . . 144 



9. Zingiberaceae (Scitamineae) 1 37 



10. Gesneracese . . 131 



11. Acanthaceae . . 128 



12. Cyperaceae . . 127 



Ferns . . 368 species. 



This may be considered a typical Malayan flora of the low- 

 lands, the mountains not being sufficiently extensive or lofty 

 to favour the abundance of Compositae found in Sikhim 

 and Burma ; while the Anonaceae (custard apples) ; the 

 Lauraceae (true laurels), producing cinnamon, cassia, and 

 many other spices and odoriferous nuts, barks, and fruits ; 

 and, above all, the noble order of Palms, which have always 

 been considered the most characteristic of the vegetable pro- 

 ductions of the tropics, all take a higher place than in any 

 part of India. Sir Joseph Hooker estimates the known 



