INTRODUCTION" xix 



Every forester and all those who are likely to use this book are familiar 

 with the paramount influence of latitude, elevation and moisture upon forest 

 growth in India, but it is perhaps less generally known that there are numerous 

 specieSj genera, and even natural orders, which are found in the east and 

 are wanting in the west and vice versa. As already stated, it is generally 

 recognized that the vegetation of the Western Himalaya has great 

 affinity to that of Western Asia and Europe, while types of Cliina and 

 Japan prevail in the Eastern Himalaya. Putting aside the Himalaya 

 for the present, the affinity of the vegetation in the Western Penin- 

 sula * with that of" Africa has long been recognized ; it was Hooker who 

 first drew prominent attention to it, and, as already mentioned, in his recent 

 sketch, divides India into three great Botanical areas or regions, a Himalayan, 

 an Eastern and a Western. The following remarks relate to the Western 

 and Eastern Peninsulas of India and the provinces and districts north of the 

 two peninsulas to the foot of the Himalaya. A line drawn from Calcutta 

 northwards to near the foot of the Himalaya will be found convenient to 

 separate these two great divisions, the western and eastern division of India 

 ou.tside the Himalaya. 



The Western Peninsula has no Oupuliferm (Betulacece and Fagacece)^ no 

 GonifercB with the exception oiFodocarpus latifolia, and no IlamamelidacecB 

 or Saxi/ragacea?^ orders which are well represented in eastern India. 

 Acer is absent from the Western Peninsula and so are Thymelceacece^ with, 

 the sole exception of Lasiosiphon, Pive of the 7 Magnoliaceous genera 

 {Magnolia^ Manglietia, Talauma^ lllicium^ ScJiizandra) are not represented 

 in the west. On the other hand, of Capparidacem : Niebuhria, Moeriia and 

 Cadaba are Western, while Boscia and Roydsia are Eastern, the principal 

 genus, Capparis^ having species in both peninsulas. Of the 12 genera of 

 Ternstrcemiacem 5 {Pyrenaria^ Schima, Camellia^ Actinidia and Saurauja) 

 belong exclusively to the Eastern Flora. Two genera of Burseracece (Bos- 

 ivellia and Balsamodendron) belong to Africa, Arabia and the Western 

 Peninsula, but are wanting in the East. Of the 68 species of Meliacece the 

 majority are eastern or common to both sides, but Turrma^ Beddomea and 

 Chloroxylon are exclusively western. Soymida may possibly yet be found in 

 the dry i-egion of Upper Burma. Of Sapindacere, Guioa and Mischocarpus 

 are eastern, while JDodoncea and Filicium are exclusively western genera. 

 Among Anacardiacem^ Nothopegja is western, while PavisMa^ MelanorJima^ 

 Sivintonia, Dracontomelum^ Drimy carpus and Bouea are exclusively eastern 

 genera. Of Leguminosce, Mundulea, Ougeinia^ Hardwickia and Frosopis 

 are western, while Afzelia^ Orudia, Palnidia^ Amherstia, Farkia and others 

 belong to the Eastern Division. Among Eosacece, Fyrus, Docynia, Foiirthia>a 

 and Eriobotrya are found in the Eastern but not in the Western Peninsula. 

 Of Myrtacecej Ehodomyrtus belongs to the Western Peninsula, while 

 Decaspermurrij Wiodamnia, Leptospermum^ Tristania^ Melaleuca and 

 Flanchonia are Eastern genera. Of Araliacece^ CornacecB^ Ruhiacem and 

 Falmm^ numerous genera belong exclusively to the Eastern Elora. In 

 SapotacecBj Isonandra is western, while Sarcosperma is eastern. Salvadora 

 is western, but no Agapetes^ Fentapterygium^ Styrax^ Os^nanthus, Congea^ 

 Lindera^ and Morus are found in the Western Region. Of Bamboos, 

 Ochlandra is western with one species in the Malay Peninsula ; one section of 

 Oxytenanthera is Western, while the other section belongs to the eastern 

 peninsula. Most of the other genera have species in the eastern division only, 

 while the 4 large genera Arundmaria^ Bambusa, Dendrocalamus and 

 Teinostachyum have species both in the western and eastern divisions. 



Many genera besides Oxytenanthera have distinct sections of Eastern and 

 Western species : for instance Fterospermwn, Bbligarna and Connarus. 

 Further, a number of western and eastern species are so closely allied that 



* The terms Western, and Eastern Peninsula are used in Hooker's great Flora of 

 British Indict, 



