328 _ ON THE FLORA OF CEYLON. 
“ Bata-li” of the Singhalese (Ochlandra stridula), a favourite food 
of the elephant 
s 
the trees in May with its lovely flowers in a few places. On the 
ground flourish many ferns, and beautiful shade- and damp-loving 
herbaceous perennials, members of the families Zingiberacea, 
esneracea, Rubiacee, Orchidea, &e., an the 
a word corrupted from the Sinhalese name, ‘‘Kalu-médiriya” 
(Diospyros quesita), a sort of mottled or streaked ebony much sought 
after for furniture and cabinet-work ; and the Nédun (Pericopsis 
Mooniana), more largely used for the same purposes. Both these 
trees are peculiar to Ceylon. : 
Native vegetation has also been curiously preserved in a few 
Places which ‘“chena” cultivation has been unable to 
Ceylon, and in several cases now entirely restricted to the few 
Square yards in question on those isolated spots. 
And this me to mention one of the most remarkable 
features of the Ceylon flora, viz., the very large number of species 
i uliar to the island, or, as botanists call it, endemic. 
here are, so wn, found nowhere else in the world 
This is, considering the geographical position of Ceylon in relation 
to ; @ really extraordinary fact leads to some interesting 
speculations as to the origin of our flora, which I have to some 
extent followed out elsewhere.* I now mention it in this place, 
i - : an 
