3382 ON THE FLORA OF CEYLON. 
also many low shrubby Leguminose, Rubiacee, and Melastomacee 
with showy flowers, but the patanas are almost absolutely devoid of 
trees. In the high patanas almost the only tree is the common 
Rhododendron ((f. arboreum), whose numerous trusses of crimson 
flowers light up the hill-sides; whilst at the lower elevations the 
patana trees are principally Careya arborea (rather inaptly called 
exp ti 
equilibrium between the two floras has been arrived at, so that now 
neither can encroach on the other: the patana plants are unable to 
exist in the dense shady forest, whilst the seeds of the forest-trees 
never get a chance even of germination in the closely occupied grass- 
land. So far as can be observed, this balance is now maintained 
without change. 
Tue D 
acts of country lying to the north and east, where, as already 
mentioned, the rainfall is both less in whole annual amount and 
BA 
of the north-east monsoon, and thus affects but little the generally 
maintained drought. What is so marked in these cases is true in 
a less degree over all this great tract of country; in no part does 
he 
very flat, a few domes or masses of gneiss rock standing up out 0 
the forest alone breaking its level monotony. The forest, which 
covers the whole country, has all the appearance of having existed 
from the earliest times untouched. But it would appear that this 
can searcely be the case. It is impossible wholly to disregard the 
Singhalese records—backed up as they are by the widely scattered 
and stupendous ruins of cities, temples, aqueducts and tanks—that 
and extensively cultivated. It is said that this now dry an 
unproductive region was once go rich as to be termed “the granary 
of India”; this would be, suppose, in the first few centuries of — 
the Christian era, to which period so many of the great ruins of 
religious edifices and irrigation works are to be referred. Making 
_ Svery allowance for Oriental exaggeration, we must, I think, give 
ee : t, - 
- Modern experience shows us that 
