4 GRASSES AND SEDGES OF THE MALAY PENINSULA. 



small number of sea-shore plants have an Australian facies ; 

 such are Schcenns calostackyus, Fimbristylis sericea, Spinifex 

 squarrosus, Lepturns repens. With them occur also such 

 Australian forms as Casnarina equisetifolia, Lencopogon, 

 Dianella, Melaleuca and Philydrum in the lowlands near 

 the sea; and on the mountains of the interior we also meet 

 with Boeckia, Leptospermum, Cryptostylis, Corysanthes and 

 Dacrydium, All these are to be found also in the Malayan 

 Archipelago, and a few, e.g., Dianella, Cryptostylis, Spinifex 

 and the Lepturus as far West as Ceylon. This seems to in- 

 dicate a wave of Australian immigrants westwards, some of 

 which, such as Casuarina and the grasses, at least were brought 

 by sea-currents along the island shores. 



There are two grasses which are certainly of American 

 origin, viz., Chloris barbata and Paspalum conjugation. The 

 latter is very common in the cultivated districts, but seems to 

 disappear in the interior. In Penang, are two Indian grasses 

 which do not appear in the South of the Peninsula, viz., 

 Thysanoloena acarifera, Nees, which is typically Burmese, 

 and Eragrostis Wightiana, a rare grass only known in the 

 mouth of the Hooghly and in one place in Ceylon. 



Native names. — Such native names as I have been able to 

 find I have inserted. The derivations or translations are only 

 suggested. It is often very difficult to get at the idea of a 

 Malay when he names a plant, so many of the names are 

 absurd and apparently meaningless. 



The common name for grass is " Rumput," but this means 

 also almost any small plant, such as Rumput Kra-Nas, Ape's 

 rice grass, Vandellia Crustacea. " Senderaian " is a general 

 name for Cyperi and Sclerias. 



CYPERTJS. 



C. pumilus, Linn. Sandy places. Not common. 



Singapore — Changi, Selitar. 



Malacca — Ayer Panas. Also collected by Griffith. 



Penang — Dato Kramat. 

 Native name, Rumput Taman (Malacca). 

 C.polystachyus, Eottb. Very common in waste ground, sea shores, etc. 



Singapore — Very common everywhere. 



