THE FLORA OF MOUNT OPHIK. 3 



a recent visit I rediscovered here the rare and curious saprophy- 

 tic orchid Leucolena ornate Ridl, previously only known from 

 Bukit Sadanen, and also the scarce fern Pteris Dalhousioe. The 

 flora here is that of the higher Malacca hills. Dipterocarpeoe 

 and oaks (Quercus Passa) occur quite to the highest point of the 

 ridge, but with these appear some of the typical plants of the 

 range, such as Gastrochilus scaphochlamys, Geostachys elegans, 

 Gahnia Javanica, Didymocarpus longipes ; and the elegant little 

 palm Pinanga paradoxa, as well as Licuala glabra. One of the 

 commonest trees here is the Pulawan, Tristania Merguensis. with 

 its grey foliage and strange red stem off which the bark peels 

 in long flakes which remain in piles at the foot of the tree. Here 

 also grows the largest of all the Kopsias Kopsia pauciflora 

 Hook, a big tree with white flowers with a pink eye. After pas- 

 sing the depression between Bukit Besar aud Padang Batu, the 

 trees as one ascends become smaller and more slender and more 

 of the typical hill plants appear. Padang Batu is a large sloping 

 rock-face covered in part with thick grass, Ischaemam Feildingi- 

 anum, and with Matonia pectinata, among which grow gnarled 

 trees of Baeckia, Leptospermum, Podocarpus, Rhodoleia and 

 other mountain forms, while in damp spots, especially near 

 and in the stream are the peculiar Ophir sedges* the white 

 flowered Hedyotis Maingayi, dwarf pink Utricularias, Didymo- 

 carpus semitortus, and the orchids Arundina speciosa, Spathoglottis 

 aurea, and Cypripediiun barbatum. The stream which runs down 

 over the rocks to the west is well worth exploring as the flora 

 is rich and interesting, for besides the hill forms which follow 

 the sides of the stream far down, there are many peculiar plants to 

 be found, among them the large yellow flowered shrub Brachy- 

 lophon Hulletti. While in the damp wood by the side of the 

 stream was found the curious Thismia Chrysops. x\bove the 

 Padang Batu the rocks rise covered with a forest of close but 

 small trees, the largest being Podocarpus, Tristania and Dacry- 

 diutu and from this point to the top one gets the most character- 

 istic part of the Ophir flora. A steady rise brings the explorer 

 to the top of Gunong Tunduk. where there is a large bare 

 rock from which a good view is obtainable. A short descent 

 into a damp valley is made and then Gunong Ledang is ascended, 

 a stiff steep climb through thickly wooded slopes. Just below 



