PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. 



[PART I. 



are effectually steadied, and protected from the leverage 

 of the crown, by which they would otherwise be uprooted. 

 Some of these buttresses are so smooth and flat, as almost 

 to resemble sawn planks. 



The greatest ornaments of the forest in these higher 

 regions are the large flowering trees ; the most striking 

 of which is the Khododendron, which in Ceylon forms 

 a forest in the mountains, and when covered with flowers, 

 it seems from a distance as though the hills were strewn 

 with vermilion. This is the principal tree on the 

 summit of Adam's Peak, and grows to the foot of the 

 rock which carries the little temple that covers the 

 sacred footstep on its crest. Dr. Hooker states that the 

 honey of its flowers is believed to be poisonous in some 

 parts of Sikkim ; but I never heard it so regarded in 

 Ceylon. 



One of the most magnificent of the flowering trees, 

 is the coral tree 1 , which is also the most familiar to 

 Europeans, as the natives of the low country and the 

 coast, from the circumstance of its stem being covered 

 with thorns, plant it largely for fences, and grow it in 

 the vicinity of their dwellings. It derives its English 

 name from the resemblance which its scarlet flowers 

 present to red coral, and as these clothe the branches 

 before the leaves appear, their splendour attracts the eye 

 from a distance, especially when lighted by the full blaze 

 of the sun. 



The Murutu 2 is another flowering tree which may 

 vie with the Coral, the Ehododendron, or the Asoca 3 , 

 the favourite of Sanskrit poetry. It grows to a con- 

 siderable height, especially in damp places and the 

 neighbourhood of streams, and pains have been taken, 



1 Erythrina Indica. It belongs to 

 the pea tribe, and must not be con- 

 founded with the Jatropha muttijida 

 which has also acquired the name of 

 the coral tree. Its wood is so light 

 and spongy, that it is used in Ceylon 

 to form corks for preserve jars; 'and 



both there and at Madras the natives 

 make from it models of their imple- 

 ments of husbandry, and of their 

 sailing boats and canoes. 



2 Lagerstroemia Keginse. 



8 See p. 93. 



