444 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIStORY SOCIETY, Vol. X. 



Of the Campanulaoeji:, the little Wahlenhergia gracilis does not 

 grow at a low elevation. It is not found at Matheran and is very rare 

 at Mahableshwar, the elevation being apparently insufficient, for at 

 the high elevation of Newera Elliya, Ceylon, it grows very abund- 

 antly. 



The Sideroxylon tomenfoswn, which is very abundant at Matheran, 

 does not seem to thrive at Mahableshwar. It is nowhere found near 

 the central portion of the hiil-top, and is confined to its edges. It is 

 to be met with on the path-way up to Lodwick Point, and also occurs 

 near Bombay Point. Neither Bassia latifolia nor Mimusops Elengi 

 occurs at Mahableshwar, while the Order Bbenace^ does not possess 

 a single representative. 



Symplocos Beddomei is not met with at Matheran, but is tolerably 

 plentiful at Mahableshwar. It flowers in the cold season ; its blossoms 

 have the odour of the hawthorn, and its berries, which ripen in May, 

 are blue. There are one or two trees just opposite the gate of the 

 Cemetery. The Jasminum arhorescens is common to both hills, and 

 its fragrant white flowers are seen in great profusion in April. The 

 Olea dioica, which is very common at Matheran, is rarely met with 

 in the Mahableshwar woods, while the Ligustrum neilgherrense is 

 very common on the latter hill, and does not occur at all on the former. 

 Its fragrant white flowers appear abundantly in October. Of the 

 Apocynace^ there is but one representative on the Mahableshwar 

 hill, and that is a rare plant, the Rauwolfia densifiora. It may be 

 found in the ravine below the Forest Officer's bungalow at Lingmala. 

 Its white flowers appear in April. Of the Asclepiads, the Calotropis 

 gigantea does not ascend to the elevation of Mahableshwar. The 

 most remarkable plant of the Order which occurs there is the 

 Gymnema sylvestre, which is an extensive climber, with small yellow 

 flowers, appearing in the hot weather. The leaves of this plant, 

 when chewed, possess the strange property of destroying for a time 

 the taste for sugar, while exercising no effect on the taste for 

 substances other than saccharine. If two or three leaves be chewed 

 and the tongue and palate moistened with the juice, the result of 

 taking a little sugar in the mouth is very curious. It appears just 

 like so much sand, while salt or anything not saccharine tastes just 

 as usual. 



