HISTORY OF SANTUBONG, SARAWAK. 25 
low-lying swampy land at the foot of the mountain the common 
Nibong (Oncosperma filamentosa) whose spiny trunk is widely 
used for making posts. The only grass indigenous to this 
jungle and indeed to Borneo is the broad leaved Leptaspis 
urceolata : of Cyperaceae there are several, a common one 
being the Sczrpodendron costatum. 
Ferns are extremely numerous here both in species and 
individuals: acollection of one hundred species could easily 
be made at Santubong. The most graceful member of this 
family is the tree fern Alsophila latebrosa which in shady 
hollows attains a luxuriant growth, raising its crown of fronds 
to a height of 30 ft. Several other species of tree ferns are 
also found on the mountain. (4. ramispina, A. comosa and a 
Cyathea). 
In this dense jungle where the struggle for light is keen, 
elimbing plants are very common: here area beautiful scarlet 
flowered Bauhinia, Hoyas, Tylophoras, the gutta producing . 
Willughbeias and very frequently a large leaved Gnetwm. 
Parasitié on the tall trees are the Lorantht of which a 
species with large and handsome scarlet flowers is very com- 
mon: also a small leaved mistletoe (Viscum sp.) is here to be 
found. Asa root parasite reminding one of the British Oro- 
banche we occasionally meet with the purple flowered Aegznetia 
intermedia rising solitary from the ground. 
High up on the slopes where the mountain is for long 
periods bathed in clouds, and where the air is cool, the surface 
of the trees and shrubs is completely enveloped save for the 
leaves in trailing epiphytal growth mainly of Hepatics: and 
here too in damp spots and on rocks trickling with moisture is 
to be found a rich growth of filmy ferns which are quite a 
marked feature of the vegetation. Conspicuous amongst these 
filmy ferns is 7’7zchomanes javanica, T. rigidwn and the hand- 
some 7’. foenzculaceum and T. pluma. Altogether there are 
about a dozen species of filmy ferns here. 
THE SUMMIT FLORA. 
Quite a different habitat and a different vegetation is to be 
found on the summit. During the greater part of the day, 
R. A. Soc., No. 51, 1908. 
