NO. 39. — 1889.] BOTANY OF RITIGALA. 



7 



the hills run up to over 4,000 ft. and thus enter our real 

 mountain zone. None of the numerous other hills which 

 stand up out of the great forest-covered plain of central 

 Ceylon attain so great a height as Ritigala ; the peak called 

 " Friar's Hood," in the Eastern Province (2,147 ft.), being the 

 nearest approach. The hills known as " Westminster Abbey " 

 (1,829 ft.) and " Gunner's Quoin," in Tamankaduwa (1,736 ft.) 

 come next ; and the better known ones, Dambulla, Sigiri, 

 and Mihintale, are all much below this last elevation. 



Now, though the botany of these lower rocky hills is often 

 very interesting, and they are the home of many curious, 

 rare, or very local species, the general character of their 

 vegetation does not differ in type from that of the great dry 

 forest tract spread out around their bases ; and it was one 

 of the principal points of the ascent of Ritigala to find out 

 whether, as reported, there occurred any vegetation of a 

 different character at its summit. It was the confirmation 

 of the rumour, that the cap of Ritigala really does present a 

 characteristic little oasis of vegetation distinct from the dry- 

 country type surrounding it, that has made it worth while to 

 write this botanical addendum to Mr. Green's Paper. 



The interest of this remarkable little flora lies in its very 

 small extent. It all occurs, I suppose, within 100 ft. of the 

 summit, and though I am unable to give its actual area, it 

 cannot be many acres, as the ascent is steep. In this small 

 space are found a number of species belonging to the flora 

 of the wetter districts of Ceylon, and it is obvious that their 

 existence here must depend on an atmosphere often heavily 

 charged with moisture. The complete isolation of this 

 summit causes it to be frequently surrounded with and 

 bathed in mist, especially during the south-west monsoon, 

 which is a time of drought over the country below. It is 

 indeed striking evidence of this to observe that, at this 

 comparatively low elevation, the branches of the stunted 

 trees are draped with pendent masses of Meteorium moss 

 and lichens, like those on our high mountains. 



It would scarcely be expected that at 2,500 ft. the trees 



