158 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [Vol. IX. 



the flora of Maldivia, doubtless, had its part to play in the 

 great progressive drama of Nature. We can only guess at 

 what it may have been, part apparently of the great bridge 

 between Africa and Asia ; but we may feel sure that this 

 sunken land was intimately connected with the events and 

 changes which contributed in their time to the formation 

 of the existing flora of Ceylon. 



APPENDIX. 



I append a few tabular statements bearing upon the com- 

 position of the Ceylon Flora, considered from a systematic point 

 of view. 



I. — Number of Native Genera and Species, 



Genera. Species. 

 Dicotyledons ... ... 759 ... 2,019 



Monocotyledons ... 237 710 



Phanerogams ... ... 996 ... 2,729 



Vascular Cryptogams .,, 75 ... 260 



Total ... 1,071 2,989 



II. — Preponderant Natural Families. 

 The following seven Orders, each containing over 4 per cent, 

 of the species native to Ceylon, collectively comprise over two 

 fifths of the whole Flora :— 







Number of 



Per cent. 







species. 





1. 



Filices 



228 



7 63 



2. 



Leguminosse 



20S 



696 



3. 



Gramineae 



198 



662 



4. 



Orchidese 



155 



5-18 



5. 



Cyperacesa 



152 



5-08 



6. 



Rubiacese 



137 



4-58 



7. 



Euphorbiacese 



132 



4-41 



Followed by Acanthacece (95), Compositce (76), Urticacece 

 (67), Melastomacece (52), and Dipterocarpacece, Myrtacece, and 

 Convolvulacece, (each 46). 



The average number of species to each Natural Order in 

 Ceylon is 18. 



