108 S. Kurz — A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Nicobar Islands. [No. 3, 



L. grandifolia, Pluchea Indica, Glerodendrum inerme, intermingled with 

 a young growth of trees and climbers, such as Cyclea peltata, Canavalia 

 virosa, Gaesalpinia nuga and G. Bonduc, Wedelia scandens, Ipomoea 

 Turpethum, JEntada scandens, Anodendron, Ipomoea campanulata, here and 

 there a rattan, Golubrina Asiatica, Derris scandens and D. uliginosa, several 

 species of Vitis, Elagellaria Indica, Stenochlaena scandens, Modecca Nico- 

 barica, etc. On the ground chiefly grow Ischaemum muticwm in abundance, 

 Centotheca lappacea, Oplismenus compositus, Memirea maritima locally, 

 Euphorbia atoto, Aerva lanata, Eranthemum succifolium very commonly, 

 Ophiorrhiza mungos chiefly from the base of the cocoa-nut-palm, Kyllingia 

 ononocephala, the white-spiked variety of Cyperus umbellatus, and a number 

 of widely distributed weeds. Gassy thaftliformis often quite covers the shrub- 

 bery, while the trunks of the trees are seen to be clothed with Dischidia 

 Bengalensis or D. nummwlaria, Pothos scandens, or with some Soya. 

 Orchids are here numerous on the branches of the higher trees, Dendrohmm 

 crumenatum and Luisla particularly so. The stems of the trees are covered 

 with lichens, especially those of the cocoa-nut -palms, which are literally 

 clothed by them and by a few acrocarpous mosses (chiefly Octoblepharum, 

 Maci'omitriuni), while a few ferns (amongst them Davallia parallela and 

 D. heterophylla, Polypodmm phymatodes, P. quercifolium, and P. adnascens) 

 also find a favourable station between the rugged scars of this same palm. 



As these dunes are the principal seat of the villages, there spring up, around 

 the huts of the natives and often far away from them, a number of trees, 

 shrubs, and weeds, which are with difficulty distinguished from the surround- 

 ing indigenous vegetation. Most of them can hardly be said to have been 

 planted but rather to have sprung up of themselves. Such are Citrus Systrix 

 and G. nobilis, Bixa Qrellana, Carica papaya, Ricinws communis, Psidium 

 guava, Triphasia trifoliolata, Gapsicwm fridescens, Solanum melongena, 

 Lagenaria vulgaris, etc. ; also such weeds as Ageratum conyzoides, Vernonia 

 cinerea, Digitaria, Eragrostis, Solanum nigrum, Datura, Amarantus 

 viridis ; and sometimes A. Gangeticus, Sida acuta, TJrena lobata, Scoparia 

 dulcis, Gassia occidentalis, Plumea lacera, Ocymum sanctum, Euphor- 

 bia pilulifera, Paspalum conjugatum, Eleusine Indica,. Gynandropsis 

 pentaphylla, etc., etc. 



3. Teopical Foeests. 

 The tropical forests occupy a large (say, about one-third of the whole) area 

 of the islands of the northern group, while they are so greatly developed in 

 the southern group as to leave only a small fraction for the other forests 

 (mangrove- and beach-forests). I am obliged to divide them into two groups, 

 namely, (i). Coral-reef Forests, and (ii). True Tropical Forests, growing 

 on elevated ground. 



