156 



JOURNAL, R.A.8. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. IX. 



exploration of the north and east of the Island is continu- 

 ally lessening the disparity. To this type a moderate number 

 of our endemic species belong, all closely related to conti- 

 nental ones, and clearly derivable from them or from common 

 ancestors. Of our endemic genera, Gleniea, closely related 

 to Saplndus and Nepkelium, may be referred to this element, 

 and possibly also Podadema, more slightly allied to Mallotas 

 in Euphorbiacese. 



It would at first appear that in the high Hill-flora of the 

 two countries stronger grounds for the establishment of a 

 separable Indo-Ceylon Floral region might be found. Yet ? 

 in spite of the great development of species to which 

 attention has already been called, we do not find any 

 features which mark off these hill-districts as an area of 

 preservation of ancient or special types. There is not, I 

 think, a single endemic genus in either district or in both 

 combined. The Ceylon hills certainly contain a few genera 

 not met with in the Nilgiris, as Agrlmonia, Gynostemma, and 

 Crawfurdia ; and some species, as PotentiUa Mooniana, 

 Anapkalis cinnamomea, and Lysimackia ramosa ; so, too, the 

 Nilgiris have several genera wanting here, as Fragama, 

 Rosa, Circcea, Passi/lora, Lonicera, Carduus, Salioc, Gnetum, 

 Cypripedium, and Lilimn ; but all of these are Himalayan, 

 as is also, I believe without exception, every genus of these 

 Indo-Ceylon highlands. Their flora, therefore, may be 

 regarded as simply a southward extension of the Himalayan 

 without any other admixture. 



10. There remain now but a few anomalous factors of 

 our Ceylon flora to be alluded to. The most interesting- 

 are a very small number which link us with Tropical 

 Africa, or at least with Mauritius and the other Mascarene 

 Islands. 



Thus, Erytkrospermum phytolaccoides, a beautiful ever- 

 green tree of the south, is one of a genus of 6 species, all 

 the others being natives of the Mascarene Islands. Eugenia 

 lucida grows in the Matale* District, but is elsewhere known 

 only in Mauritius and Bourbon. 



A very interesting plant is Rhipsalis Cassytka, a common 

 epiphyte on old trees in the Central Province, which is 

 found also only in Mauritius and Tropical Africa and 



