INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 241 



that of Bengal, and on the wooded hills we find a flora closely 

 resembling that of Assam. In the moister forest, Anomcea 

 are extremely numerous, and species of Calamus, tree-fern, 

 and Pandanus are equally so. Oaks occur in the forests 

 down to the level of the river Siirma, with Camellia, Kadsura, 

 Sabia, Rubus, and other plants usually considered as indicating 

 a certain degree of elevation. 



The low hills which rise out of the plain in the neighbour- 

 hood of Silhet, and in several other parts of the district, are 

 covered with brushwood, amongst which are many remark- 

 able plants, as Licuala peltata, Adelia castanocarpa, Trophis, 

 Connarus, Grewia, Briedelia, Gelonium, Moacurra, Mussmnda, 

 Guettarda. There are also some shrubs which here find their 

 northern limit, but which are common in similar localities in 

 Chittagong: as instances, we may mention Dalhousiea and 

 Linostom,a. In the grassy sward which covers the swampy 

 plains interspersed among these hills, we find also Stylidium 

 Kunthii, a minute annual, which is interesting as the most 

 northerly species of the eminently Australian order to which 

 it belongs. 



Many plants from this district were communicated to Rox- 

 burgh by Mr. Smith, Judge of Silhet, Mr. Dick, and other 

 residents, and by the Garden collectors ; and are published in 

 his 'Flora Indica.' Dr. Wallich's collectors were long at 

 Silhet, and sent him large collections ; and the authors of the 

 present work, in the autumn of 1850, ascended the Siirma 

 from Silhet to Silchar, and collected several hundred species. 



The Jheels of Eastern Bengal are in many respects a most 

 remarkable feature, and as they owe their origin chiefly to the 

 excessive rain-fall of the Khasia and Silhet, and to the over- 

 flow of the Surma, we have noticed them under this pro- 

 vince, in preference to Bengal, in which they wotdd otherwise 

 have been included. 



The Jheels occupy an immense area, fully 200 miles in 

 diameter, from north-east to south-west, which is almost en- 

 tirely under water throughout the rainy reason, and only par- 



2 J 



