296 D. Prain — The Vegetation of the Coco Group. [No. 4, 



dendron anfractuosum, etc. Under the Gocos nucifera on the sandy soil a 

 sward of Thuarea sarmentosa with patches of Ipomoea hiloha and with a 

 quantity of Eranthemum succifolium ; further inland there is a dense 

 undergrowth of Glycosmis pentaphylla ; Ardisia humilis ; Ficus hrevicuspis 

 and Ficus Dcemonum ; Alsodeia bengalensis ; Glyptopetalum calocarpum ; 

 Cyclostemon assamicus ; etc. — covered with a mass of Pisonia aculeata ; 

 Ccesalpinia Nuga ; Gapparis sepiaria ; Mucuna gigantea, less common here 

 than on muddy soil ; Calamus sp., not very common ; Sarcostigma edule; 

 Antitaxis calocarpa ; Derris scandens ; Thunhergia laurifolia; Bioscorea, 

 two sp. ; Vitis pedata, very common ; Acacia ruhricaulis, often. Of sub- 

 herbaceous plants may be mentioned Bracmna spicata, it is, however, less 

 common on level ground than on the ridges. Further on were met with 

 Cynometra ramiflora, with occasionally Borites Wightii epiphytal, but less 

 commonly so than where the soil is moist and muddy ; considerable 

 quantities of Leea sambucina ; Sterctiliavillosa, as a small tree ; Stephegyne 

 diversifolia, though rarelj ; Ao-tocarptis Gomeziana ; Terminalia hialata ; 

 some Siphonodon celastrineus ; Oroxyhim indicum ; and, as the opposite side 

 of the island is approached, Crotonsublyratus ; HernandiapeUata ; Stercidia 

 ruhiqinosa; Terminalia Catappa ; Frythrina indica ; and the Pandanus sea- 

 fence. Just before reaching this coast-zone a single example of a 

 stemless palm {Livistona sp. ?) was met with ; another example of this 

 was obtained on the hill where the 1889 encampment was made at the 

 north-east corner of the island. In cutting a path across the island at 

 another point a level sandy tract was reached on which for several hun- 

 dred yards grew nothing except young Gyrocarp)us Jacquinii. 



Crossing at a point where a ridge had to be passed it was found 

 that much of the flat land behind the coco-nut zone was taken up with 

 a iungle of Gyrocarpus Jacquinii, Macaranga Tanarius and Mallottos 

 andamanicus to the exclusion of other species ; but even as far as the 

 base of the ridge many fruits of Cocos nucifera that had been floated 

 inland during the rainy season, when the whole of this level tract is 

 evidently water-covered, are germinating freely and some coco-nut trees 

 that have reached the light have begun to bear. On the ridge itself a 

 dense jungle prevails, much matted, especially along the crest, with 

 creepers ; the chief of these is Thunhergia laurifolia, the others being 

 Bioscorea sp. ; Capparis sepiaria and Ca^^paris tenera ; Berris uliginosa ; 

 Anodendron paniculatum ; Ahrus precatorius and A. pulchellus ; Calamus ; 

 Pcediria fcetida ; Modecca ; Trichosanthes pahnata ; Porana spectabilis ; a 

 little further along this ridge the west side and the flat land at its 

 base was found to be a dense thicket of Caryota sobolifera ; the herba- 

 ceous undergrowth was remarkably sparse and consisted of a few plants 

 of Zingiber sp. ; some patches of Alocasia^ and a few patches of Oplis- 



