1859.] Botanical Notes. 469 



The leaves are opposite, palmate, with seven leaflets. The in- 

 florescence is a terminal, erect, rigid panicle about eighteen inches 

 high. The jloivers appear to be diceceous for I could find no trace of a 

 germ in any which I gathered. The Calyx is tubular, 5-parted, irre- 

 gular. The petals are four, a fifth being wanting in front. Their 

 colour is white, the two upper ones being beautifully tinged with 

 red and yellow. The stamens are seven, long, filiform. The anthers 

 are versatile, 2-lobed, opening longitudinally. My dried specimens 

 are fortunately excellent, aud the flowers have preserved their colours 

 perfectly. They will shortly be sent to Sir W. Hooker. 



The vegetation in the low vallevs of this district is such as I 

 have attempted to describe. That on the hills is mainly composed 

 of Bambusa gigantea (Burm. Wa-bo,) with large trees interspersed, 

 mostly of the genera before named, with the addition, however, of 

 many, which I regret that my limited acquaintance with the forest 

 trees, prevents me from specifying. Perhaps the most abundant 

 trees are Dillenias and Gmelina arbor ea. Hopea, and Bipterocarpus 

 still occur, but scantily ; nor do they attain the gigantic proportions 

 which they reach in the lower lands. Two very useful cordage 

 plants appear to be plentiful ; one is Hibiscus macrophyllus and the 

 other a Sterculia. An excellent rope of great strength is made of 

 these materials by the Burmese and Karens in a few minutes. The 

 undergrowth on these hills is chiefly made up of Cinclwnacece, and 

 gregarious Acanthacece. In the rainy season the ground would be 

 covered with Zingiber acece, the decayed leaves of which were seen 

 every where. Nearly the only species that remains green in tli3 hot 

 season is the before mentioned Zingiber squarrosum, the fine broad 

 leaves of which form a conspicuous feature id all the damp shady 

 hollows. I must not forget to mention that the beautiful Thun- 

 bergia laurifolia, never left us for a day even here, scarcely for an 

 hour, so universal is it in this part of the world. In the higher 

 valleys that fine sombre Palm, Arenga saccliarifera (Saguerus 

 Rumphii Roxb.) is abundant. Although, according to Seemann, 

 this Palm is applicable to so many domestic purposes (yielding 

 toddy, sugar, and sago, besides a valuable substance for cordage in 

 the strong fibres about the base of the petioles,) I am not aware 

 that it is put to any single use whatever by the natives here. The 



3 p 



