PRKFACE. Vll 



belt and the inner arid region of Tibet. Entirely beyond the limits of 

 the present Flora are the southern dry region, iaeluding eastern Mysore 

 and part of the Dekkan, and the moist zone of "Western India, comprising 

 the Western Ghats from the Khandeish Dangs to Travancore, the country 

 below the Ghats, and a narrow strip of country a])OTe the Ghats. 



A glance at this handbook wiU show that in many instances Indian 

 trees or shrubs have been maintained distinct which had been referred to 

 European species by Dr Stewart and other botanists. It will also be 

 noticed that a considerable number of Himalayan trees and shrubs have 

 been identified with species indigenous in Europe and the Mediterranean 

 region. This identification has in every case been based upon critical 

 research. The following are weU-known European species included in 

 this Himalayan Elora : Berberis vulgaris, Myricaria germaniea, Rhus 

 Gotinus, Prunus prostrata, P. Padus, Rubus fruticosus, Rosa moschata, 

 Pyrus Aria, Gratoagus Oxyaaantha, G. Pyracantha, Ribes Orossularia, R. 

 nigrum, Hedera Helix, Lonicera alpigena, Sambueus EbuliLS, Hippophae 

 rhamnoides, Mceagnus hortensis, Viscum album, Geltis australis, Platanus 

 orientalis, Biixus sempervirens, Salix alba,S. hastata, S. dapJinoides, 8. vim- 

 inalis, Populus alba, Quereus Ilex, Gorylus Colurna, Ephedra vulgaris, 

 Junipervs communis, Pinus excelsa, and Taxm baecata. The forester 

 who is transferred from Europe to the north-west Himalaya thus finds 

 himseK surrounded by trees belonging to the same famihes and genera 

 as those which compose the forests of Europe, and also in many instances 

 recognises the very species with which he was familiar in his native 

 country. 



In the forests of the plains and lower hills, three remarkable features 

 attract attention. First, The large number of trees of South India and 

 Burma which occur in the moist forests of the sub-Himalayan tract. 

 Some of these extend no farther than the Sarda, and within our limits 

 are only found in the Gorakhpui and Oudh forests ; for example, Dil- 

 lenia aurea, Polyalfhia suberosa, Amoora Rohitukd, Heynea trijuga. 

 Others, such as Dillenia pentagyna, Miliusa velutina, Sehleiehera trijuga, 

 have the same north-western limit, but are likewise found in the forests 

 of the Satpura range. Others, again, extend along the foot of the Hima- 

 laya to the Indus {Bombax malabaricum, Odina Wodier, Cassia Fistula, 

 Albizzia odoratissima and stipulata. Acacia Gatechu, Terminalia bellerica, 

 and Eugenia Jambolana). Eattan-brakes (Galamus Rotang) exbend only 

 to the Dehra Doon ; the last patches of Sal are found on the Siwaliks 

 between the Sutlej and Bias, and in the Kangra valley north of the latter 

 river ; and the most western Bamboo forest {Dendrocalamus strictus) is on 

 the west bank of the Jhelam river. The second prominent feature is, that 

 a number of trees attain their northernmost point in Central India, and 

 are not found in the sub-Himalayan tract — as, for example, Ailanthus ex- 



