234 Remarks on the Flora of Ceylon. 



common a weed everywhere, is a native of the West Indies and 

 Brazil, and was only introduced to the Island, by Mr. Moon, 

 so short a time ago as 1824. Two species of Crotalaria — C. 

 Brownei, a native of Jamaica, and C. incana, a native of the Cape of 

 Good Hope ; the Mexican Coreopsis, like Cosma caudata ; the Peru- 

 vian blue-flowered Nicandra physaloides, and the South American 

 sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica), are now not only common weeds 

 about Peradenia and Kandy, but are fast extending themselves in all 

 directions, the first mentioned species having now nearly reached 

 as far as Rambodde on the Newera-Ellia road. Brucea Sumatrana, 

 a shrubby native of the Eastern islands, and an escape from the 

 Peradenia gardens, now forms part of the low jungle on the neigh- 

 bouring Hantane range : and Buddleia Madagascariensis, a native 

 of Madagascar, and two small kinds of Passion flower (P. Suberosa 

 et glauca), both natives of the West Indies, are fast following. 

 Ageratum conyzoides, everywhere a common weed, and one of the 

 great pests of the coffee planter, is of American origin, though now 

 thoroughly naturalized in all tropical countries. 



The above though only a rapid sketch of the more prominent fea- 

 tures of the vegetation of the Island of Ceylon, is sufficient to show 

 the great interest and variety of the materials of which it is com- 

 posed, and the relation which it holds to that of other parts of the 

 globe. Much however, still remains to be done before a detailed ex- 

 position of it can be offered to the world. 



