252 FLORA INDICA. 



vegetation almost identical with that of Java. The surface, 

 except where clearances have been made by man^ is covered 

 with a shady forest, rendered almost impenetrable by a dense 

 jungle of rattan {Calamus) , a genus which attains its maxi- 

 mum development in the Malayan region. Erect palms are also 

 very numerous ; chiefly of the genera Areca, Arenga, Licuala, 

 Cocos, Corypha, and Sagus. On the coast, Nipa covers im- 

 mense tracts. Orchids, terrestrial as well as epiphytical, Sci- 

 taminecB, Arace<B, and ferns, abound in the forests, which con- 

 sist chiefly of gigantic Terebinthacece, Sapindacece, Meliacea, 

 GarciniacecB, DipterocarpecB, Ternstrmmiacem, Legumino^a, 

 Myrtacece, Combretaceae, Lauracece, oaks, and figs. Dilleni- 

 acece, nutmegs, Sapotacea, including Isonandra Gutta (the 

 gutta-percha plant), and Anonacece, form an unusually large 

 proportion of the flora. Podocarpus, Dacrydium, and Dam- 

 mara are the only conifers, but there are several species of 

 Gnetum and of Cycas. On the higher hills a few species of 

 GauUheria, Rhododendron, Vaccinia, and other plants of the 

 sub-temperate zone, indicate the commencement of that rich 

 and varied flora which covers the middle and upper parts of 

 the mountains of Java and the Khasia, and is also found in 

 the temperate Sikkim Himalaya. 



Amongst the many rare and curious genera which occur in 

 the forests of the Malayan Peninsula, may be mentioned 

 Grammatophyllum, the most gigantic Orchid known, Kibara, 

 many Nepenthes, several curious genera of Aristolochice, as 

 Thottia, Lobbia, and Asiphonia, anomalous BurmannicE, many 

 Antidesmets, including Eremostachys and Phytocrenece, as 

 lodes, Cardiopteris, and Phytocrene itself, many singular Ola- 

 cinete, Santalacece, Loranthace(B, Menispermece, etc. The cul- 

 tivated fruits are the mangosteen, durian, and nutmeg, none of 

 which thrive elsewhere in India ; with many varieties of Citrus 

 and pine-apple. The littoral plants are to a great extent the 

 same as those of Pegu and the Suuderbunds, but there are 

 more species of mangrove and of palms. Enhalus and other 

 oceanic CuuVuda; occur beneath high-water mark. The ap- 



