NO. 39. — 1889.] BOTANY OF RITIGALA. 



9 



flowered variety of Thunbergia fragrans also occurred in 

 several places on the summit, which I have not met with 

 elsewhere, and have named var. parviflora* 



The general vegetation of the forest-covered sides of the 

 mountain presents no features of special interest. There are 

 some magnificent specimens of wild mango (Mangifera 

 zeylanica) at the lower part, and some fine trees of Ficus 

 infectoria and other figs. Aralu (Terminalia Chebula), 

 Wewarane ( Alseodaphne semecarpifolia), Hampirila (Mal- 

 lotus philippinensis J, Galkaranda ( Canthium didymum ), and 

 Diplospora Dalzellii were some other trees noticed ; and, 

 by the ruins at the foot, Balsamodendrum caudatum. A 

 remarkable feature in the undergrowth for the greater part 

 of the ascent was the vast abundance of the rubiaceous 

 shrub Lasianthus strigosus, not an unfrequent plant in our 

 forest land and with a general tendency to occur gregari- 

 ously, but never before seen in such quantity. Other plants 

 worth notice on the ascent were " Binkohomba " (Munronia 

 pumila), Excoecaria crenulata, Rhipsalis Cassytha, and a 

 "Nilu " (StroUlanthes) with an ill-smelling leaf, but not in 

 flower and thus not to be determined. 



At the very summit of the hill, among the stones at the 

 base of the trigonometrical pile, I collected a plant, not in 

 flower, of the Acanthacece Order, which I am not at present able 

 to determine. Plants were however successfully brought to 

 Peradeniya, and are growing vigorously here ; they may be 

 expected to flower in due time, and may prove to be another 

 addition to our flora, f 



* Described in Journ. Bot., XXVII., p. 165. (London, 1889.) 

 t These have not yet (November, 1891) flowered in the Gardens, though 

 they have attained a large size. 



