54 
The Queensland Naturalist 
October, 1929 
on the exposed parts are very stunted. The prevailing 
winds are from the south, and the southern slopes of the 
gullies are too dessieated for the development of Malayan 
forest. Accordingly we find the slopes facing the south 
tenanted by the more xerophytic grasses and Eucalypts, 
while the sheltered northern slopes support a forest of 
Malayan type. Great Palm Island, by reason of its higher 
mountain chain, is more protected, except on its southern 
side, and Malayan forest clothes both sides of depressions. 
This extends up the mountains and at a height of about 
a thousand feet the gully forest broadens out, occupying 
the lidges as well. The conditions of moisture on the 
ridges above this altitude are more favourable than they 
are below, apparently owing to the presence of a cloud 
belt on dull days. The lower and drier ridges cannot 
support this type of vegetation, and its place is taken 
by the Eucalyptus forest, a delicate balance existing be- 
tween the two. The Malayan forest is not swept by bush 
fires, though it suffers from their effects along its mar- 
gins. The more open Eucalyptus forest with its dry 
undergrowth is fired regularly, and as a result is in 
many places greatly modified, the herbs and small shrubs 
being destroyed and their places taken by various light- 
loving grasses such as Heteropogon contortus, and Stipa 
semibarbata. On level country the open Eucalyptus forest 
gives place to a savannah type, and finally to grassland, 
though this is not common. Swampy land on this level 
country gives rise to a special type of formation in which 
the associes are Melaleuca leucadendron and Phragmites 
communis. In other cases rather similar country with 
brackish water supports Melaleuca leucadendron as its 
only tree, while various ferns (Acrostichum aurem, Lygo- 
dium scandens, Blechnum serrulatum, and Pteris ensifor- 
mis) form the carpet. Along the shore a characteristic 
strand flora composed in the main of species found 
throughout the eastern tropics in similar positions is 
found. Tli is flora is above high tide mark, though a few 
of its spec : es invade the mangroves. Mangrove forests 
skirt the shore where mud is deposited between high and 
low tides, and occur along the tidal creeks. 
The formations on Great Palm Island may be treated 
under the following head's : — 
1. Eucalyptus forest. 
2. Malayan forest — 
(a) monsoon forest; 
(b) rain forest. 
3. Grassland. 
