INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 145 



erect and scandent Bauhinia, Acacim, especially A. Catechu, 

 Conocarpus, Terminalia, and Nauclea cordifolia are charac- 

 teristic forms. All of these extend likewise to the Himalaya, 

 but a few species have their northern limit in the mountains 

 of Bahar and Bandelkhand, such as Cochlospermum Gossypium, 

 Chickrassia tabularis, Swietenia febrifuga, Boswellia thurifera, 

 Hardwickia binata, and Bassia latifoUa, which are all more or 

 less abundantly distributed throughout the province. No palm 

 is indigenous but Phcenix acaulis ; for the common Calamus of 

 Bengal, which extends north to the base of the hills at Mon- 

 ghir, is not found in the interior. 



The flora of the mountain Parasnath, an isolated peak 

 which scarcely attains a temperate elevation, presents few pe- 

 culiar features. The upper part is however more humid than 

 the base, and plants indicative of a moist climate, such as 

 parasitical OrchidecB, Ferns, Arum, and others, make their ap- 

 pearance in small numbers. The temperate forms, Berberis, 

 Clematis, Thalictrum, etc., are all Himalayan species, but most 

 of them are widely diffused plants, extending also to the penin- 

 sula. Vernonia divergens, common near the summit, occurs 

 also in Bandelkhand, and is equally abundant throughout the 

 drier hUls of the peninsula. 



The Son valley in climate and vegetation is identical with 

 the drier parts of the upper Gangetic valley, or the plains of 

 Bajwara; and the low Kaimur (Kymore) range, to the north, 

 exhibits a continuation of the features of the elevated plat- 

 forms of Bandelkhand. 



A part of Bahar was explored by Dr. Buchanan Hamilton, 

 who made considerable collections in the Monghir and Eaj- 

 mahal hiUs, and elsewhere among the mountains. Dr. Hooker 

 also \dsited parts of it, but not at a favourable season ; and a 

 list of its plants has been published by Dr. M'CleUand in his 

 geological report. It is probable that the greatest variety of 

 form is to be met with in the more eastern hills, which, from 

 their proximity to the Bay of Bengal, are more humid, and 

 that to the westward the flora approaches more and more to 

 that of the drier parts of the peninsula. u 



