302 SEIFRIZ: PLANTS ON MrT. GEDEH, JAVA 
no species and only two genera are common to both the second 
and the fourth subzones. 
The fourth subzone extends to the summit of Pangerango 
with no pronounced change in type of vegetation, except at 
the very top where there is a small alpine plant community, 
barely more than an acreinarea. The plants of this little alpine 
garden consist of shrubs, herbs, and grasses. Of shrubs there 
are dwarf Vaccinium, Rapanea, Eurya, and Gaultheria. The 
fruit of the bush Vaccinium resembles that of the American 
blueberry, and, though edible, is insipid. 
mong the flowers of Se small alpine pasture one of the 
prettiest is Hypericum L ltii, much resembling the evening 
primrose of American pastures. Another reminder of fields at 
home is the buttercup, Ranunculus javanicus. Then there is a 
dandelion-like plant, Sonchus asper, the pale blue violet Viola 
serpens, the weed Plantago major, and a wild strawberry. In- 
deed, one could well imagine himself in a New England pasture. 
The small yellow, tubular flower of Primula imperialis deserves 
mention because it was singled out by the Dutch naturalist 
Junghuhn as ‘Queen among all the herbs which inhabit the 
summits of the mountains.” So exalted a position for Primula 
imperialis is hardly deserved when Impatiens platypetala is near. 
The view from the summit of Pangerango is one of the finest 
in all Java. Water-covered rice fields, one of the most charming 
and characteristic features of oriental tropical agriculture, lie 
close to the mountain base (Fic. 1), and beyond groves of cocoa- 
nut palms are distinguishable. Other mountain peaks stand 
silhouetted against the soft color of the morning sky. One is 
looking over the “Preanger Regent,” the most picturesque 
province of all Java. 
The trail to the crater of Mt. Gedeh differs from that to the 
summit of Mt. Pangerango, just described, in two striking par- 
ticulars: first, the fourth subzone of Gedeh is divided into halves, 
distinguished by several prominent characteristics; and second, 
there is on Gedeh a fifth subzone of considerable area with a 
very distinctive flora. 
The trees of the lower half of the fourth subzone on Gedeh 
are covered with a profuse growth of moss. Thick, water-soaked 
wads of moss pad every trunk. Suddenly, about midway in 
the zone, the moss covering disappears, and the trees are be- 
