1893.] D. Prain — Flora of Narcondam and Barren Island. 55 



a landing-place was looked for in bay after bay ; to no purpose, however, 

 the heavy south-western swell surged on their beaches in breakers so 

 huge that any attempt to land was precluded. On the east, north, and 

 north-west sides however, landings were effected ; in the first case the 

 crest of the outer rim was attained at a point where further progress 

 was barred by its precipitous nature. By the gorge entered from the 

 north it was found impossible even to reach the crest ; the north-west 

 landing, after some difficult climbing, led to the edge of the outer cone 

 and permitted an easy descent into the amphitheatre. 



The inner walls of the outer cone, where too steep for trees and 

 shrubs, are densely and evenly clothed with Pogonatherum saccharoideum, 

 along with which are associated patches of Besmodium polycarpon, 

 Onychium auratum, Pteris biaurita, Nephrolepis tuberosa (found also 

 within the crater), and Fimbristylis diphylla. On one somewhat damp 

 spot, where there had been recently a small landslip, were found, on 

 the otherwise bare soil, some plants of Pteris longifolia, Oplismenus 

 Burmanni, Physalis minima and Vandellia Crustacea (this last was also 

 obtained inside the crater). On the inner northern wall of the outer 

 cone, which is heaped with ashes, there is hardly more vegetation than 

 on the inner cone itself, the only species that grows being the Fimbristylis 

 found on the cone. At the base of the cliff which forms the inner 

 southern wall there is a uniform but not very dense forest the com- 

 monest species in which are Terminalia Gatappa (certainly the most 

 abundant tree on the island), Eugenia Jambolana and Oallicarpa arborea 

 (both very common), Semecarpus heteropliylla, Garnga pinnata, Ixora 

 cicneifolia, Ardisia Jiumilis, Oro.vylum indicum, Macaranga Tanarius, Trema 

 amboinensis. Quite a feature is the extent to which a wild vine, Vitis 

 repens, prevails in this area ; among other creepers noted were Gyclea 

 peltata (not seen in Narcondam), Abrus precatorius, and two Bioscoreas 

 (only one apparently occurring in Narcondam). Another noteworthy 

 feature of this forest is the presence, though not in great quantity, of 

 a species of Bendrobrium. The bare rocks in the gorges over which 

 water in the rains must pour in cascades are here and there covered 

 with dried-up masses of fresh-water Alga, Galothrix tasmanica. 



The forest on the outside of the outer cone is much like that just 

 described though the trees are more weather-beaten. The species pre- 

 sent inside are all met with outside also, but though Terminalia 

 Gatappa is still undoubtedly the most plentiful tree, and there are many 



considering the limited time at the writer's disposal, to justify another attempt. 

 The majority of the gorges on the south side of the Island have an eastward 

 tendency, and are thus unlike those in the north side which are more truly radial ; 

 this circumstance led to the selection of a point for descent too far along the rim. 



J. II. 8 



