67 
also | — tinctorium, the koe s knotweed, ‘is 
cultivated in Manchuria and Japan, but not in Formosa, while P. 
qneniape and P. chinense are common wild plants in China and Formosa, 
ommwunis. The ps 
ormosa comprise two or three varieties of Saec m Officinarum. 
Too little is known of the flora to enable any e ar on the distri- 
bution of the plants met with to be of value, but from the species k 
to me it is evident that there are many elements in tho tora, which I 
shall now point out. 
1. Endemic Element.—A. good number of species are peculiar to the 
island. Some of these are yery vigorous and abundant, whilst others 
are met with only in oY sae situations, and are, perhaps, dyi ing out. 
An exploration of the valleys of savage territory will greatly increase 
the number of these wes d one can. judge from the results obtained 
by Wii of Central China and Japan 
Flora of the cultivated Plain. prone is practically t the same as 
that of the Indian plain, and in it I include the littoral flora, which. 
searcely has a single endemic speci es. 
. Plants occurring only in Formosa and the Philippines.—These 
occur chiefly, if not eres ee in the south. 
4. Flora, common to Formosa, Japan, and Central China.—T hese 
species oceur in the RU chiefly. Striking examples are the 
varnish tree (Rhus vernicifera), of which no use is made -in Formosa, 
brought to me from ihe Kalee Mountain; Zdesia polycarpa, a noble 
timber n doe by Maximowicz in the mountains of J apan, and 
since found in. mountain forests in Hupeh, and in the same part of 
FoR" as TA Dis tree; Deutzia scabra, a shrub with preis 
white flowers, common on Apes Hill and throughout Formos 
5. Outliers of the Australian Region.—The best HR ‘of this, is. 
the very common timber tree (Acacia Richei), hitherto only met with 
elsewhere in Fiji, but I believe it is seen near Amoy, where possibly . it 
may have been introduced by emigrants returning from Formosa 
the most characteristie rom n tree, occurring from north to south, 
in the plain and on mountaias. It belongs to the large section of 
the genus Acacia » ees the trees or shrubs bear phyllodes, or 
modified leaf stalks, instead of true leaves. These are set on the boughs 
in the vertical plane, and not in the horizontal, as ordinary leaves are. 
The wood of this tree—the “sung-ssti” of Formosans—-is much used for 
frames of junks, A SE cross-bars of anchors, beams of houses, &e. . 
6. Introduced Plants, now naturalized, and not to be distinguished 
in "habit from true Natives.—These include a good number of American 
pna, introduced either intentionally or accompanying seeds of other 
lant 
i I will, however, first mention the cultivated American plants, which 
are not naturalized, but require man’s attention to keep them from dying 
out :— 
Maize (Zea Mays), tobacco (Nicotiana Tabacum), pine-apple 
(Ananas sativus), sweet sop (Anona squamos, ), sweet potato (Zpumaa 
Batatas).—This is the species or variety which is cultivated in 
Formosa, whereas at Ichang it is Ipomea fastigiata, and Mr. Hemsley 
is of opinion that the latter, which occurs wild in the Andes, is the 
A 2 
