646 GEOGRAPHICAL NOTES IN MALAYSIA AND ASIA, 



As the island is exposed also to the burning heats of a tropical sun, 

 and frequently the cold devastating fury of a Chinese typhoon 

 the average range of the thermometer is between 45° and 100° 

 of temperature, but greater extremes of cold are occasionally felt. 

 Another j)eculiarity of the flora is the large proportion of arbores- 

 cent and shrubby species on a rocky mass, where woods are 

 limited to a few ravines or short, narrow, half-cultivated valleys. 

 Other exceptional features may be enumerated as follows. First, 

 there is a very great diversity amongst the species themselves. 

 Secondly, as a consequence of the former feature there is a 

 notaljly excessive proportion of orders and genera to species. 

 Thirdly, there is a considerable number of monotypic genera which, 

 according to Mr. Bentham, is far larger than that of any other 

 flora known to him. Lastly, there is a very large number of 

 endemic species not known to exist outside the island; though 

 probably their range will bo found to be greater when the flora of 

 China is better known. 



Out of the thousand and odd species belonging to the flora, it 

 must be said that 100 of them are weeds which follow cultivation, 

 or ])]ants cultivated in spite of man. The greater part of these 

 are indigenous to tropical Asia, with a dozen European strangers, 

 and half tliat number from America. 



The Hong Kong flora has little resemblance to the American, but 

 there is a strip of American plants found in Japan, and gradually 

 falling away through Manchooria in Central Asia, though a few 

 are found as far as the Himalayas. This flora passes to the north 

 of Hong Kong, though it has a few representatives such as 

 Lesjjedeza, iSolidago, Eupatorium, Olea marginata, Gelsemium, «fec., 

 the other American plants found in Hong Kong are such as are 

 difi'used through tropical Asia generally. One stranger {Teucrium 

 inflatum, Sw.) makes its way to the island through the South 

 Pacitic Islands. 



With Australia the flora of Hong Kong has a small connection, 

 but mostly in insignificant herbs, maritime plants, grasses, and 

 sedges, some of which are of wide range ; while others, such as 

 Stylidium, Afitrasacme, Thysanotus, Philydrum, are characteris- 

 tically Australian. 



