ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY, 



CEYLON BRANCH. 



REMARKS ON THE COMPOSITION, 

 GEOGRAPHICAL AFFINITIES, AND ORIGIN OF 

 THE CEYLON FLORA. 



[To accompany "A Systematic Catalogue of the Flowering 

 Plants and Ferns" of the Colony*] 



By Henky Trimen, M.B. (Lond.), F.L.S. 

 (Read 20tk February, 1885.J 



The Catalogue of Ceylon Plants which the Asiatic Society 

 has done me the honour of accepting for publication* is in its 

 very nature asunsuited for reading to this meeting as would 

 be a dictionary, a concordance, or an index. It appears 

 very fitting, however, that it should be accompanied by some 

 general observations upon the nature, affinities, and 

 characteristics of the interesting flora which it enumerates. 



The compilation and publication of a revised list of the 

 plants of any country always marks a new stage of progress 

 in the knowledge of its botany. It is a sort of taking stock : 

 its preparation requires a re-examination and comparison of 



* Published as Part I. of Vol. IX. (No. 30—1885) of the Society's 

 Journal. 



I take the opportunity of supplying here two species which have by 

 some accident dropped out of the List. The reader is requested t 

 insert : — 



At p. 5, after Scolopia crenata : 



S. GrAERTNERI, ThlV. 400. 



Katu-knnmdu, S. 

 And at p. 35, after Memecylon orbiculare : 

 M. RE VOLUTUM, Thw. 111. 



