The Vegetation’ of Western Austk-alia. 
XXXIX. 
The occurrence of epiphytic orchids, tall climbing ferns, dense forests of cad- 
juput (Melaleuca leucadendron) and many broad leaved trees such as Sarco- 
cephalus, Ficus, Randia, Seshania grandiflora, Barringtoyiia, and Carallia, 
with occasional species of broad leaved Terminalia, renders the formation at 
once distinctive, especially when the density of the canopy is considered and 
the predominance of species of Pandanus and ground flora of ferns. 
The monsoon woodland occurs in the higher rainfall regions, but is most 
highly developed in the sandstone areas. Apart from the Eucaly2:)tus species 
which form the greater part of the arborescent growth, there is a distinctive 
IndO'Malayan impress by reason of the number and density of Indo-Malayan 
arborescent plants, such as Terminalia, a number of Apocynaceae and Rubia- 
ceae, e.g., Timonius ; species of Diospyros, Maha humilis, Planchonella, and 
Lucuma, and many smaller shrubs, with Cycas and groves of Livistona. Im- 
portant amongst the species of Eucalyptus are E. ndniata, E. tetrodonta, E. 
terminalis, and E. hrachyandra. Deciduous species of Sterculia and Brachy- 
chiton are also common. In fact, the deciduous character of the foliage of 
many species, including Eucalyptus hrachyayidra , gives to the formation an ap- 
pearance which is unique amongst the formations in Western Australia, 
The savannah woodland of Kimberley, which extends generally southwards 
to the Fitzroy River, has much in common with the monsoon woodland, but 
is much more open in composition, with a greater abundance of perennial 
grass, and Eucalyptus plays a more important role. There arc two principal 
types : — the basaltic savannah, and the sandstone savannah. The former 
consists of almost pure stands of Eucalyptus Spenceria,na , associated with 
Eucalyptus clavigera, and the less important scatterc'd trees of Eucalyptus 
latifolia and a few minor species. Gossampinus hepiaphylla, Erythrina ves- 
pertilio, and species of Terminalia are amongst the most important deciduous 
species, together with Sterculia. There are \’(‘ry few shrubs, with the ex- 
ception of Goclilospermum and Maha, and the ground is densely covered witli 
perennial grasses, notably Themeda triandra. The trees are well spaced, and 
apart from the species of Eucalyptus, the only prevalent evergreen trees 
are E^'ythrophloeum., Hakea, and Grevillea. The Indo-Malayan Element is not 
well represented, except in the herbaceous species, and floristically it is the poor- 
est of all the tropical formations. 
The sandstone savannah, on the other hand, is much richer floristically. 
It does not possess the uniform character of the basaltic savannah, and there 
is a more marked intrusion of the Indo-Malayan Elemtmt. E‘ucalyj)fus termhi- 
aha, E. tetrodonta, and E. miniata are amongst the commoia^st of the Eucalyp- 
tus trees, with isolated groups of Eucalyptus alba' on the low-lying flats. The 
Proteaceae are represented by Persoonia falcata. sevei-al specaes of Grevillea 
and Hakea, with Grevillea chrysodendron and Bmtksia dentata in the swampy 
depressions. Rut it is above all the strictly tropical groups that give to the 
sandstone savannah its distinctive character ; Celasti'us, Denhamia, Ficus,. 
Terminalia, Etigenia, Careya, Celtis, Maha, and many other woody plants, 
including the common Carissa lanceolata b('ing met with almost everywhere, 
together with the deciduous Sterculiae and the grotes(jue Baobab tree (Adan- 
sonia, Gregorii), Th(^ herbaceous and sub-slirubby plants are represented here 
to a degree not found elsewhere in the tropics, the bidliant flowers of Hibiscus, 
Cienfugosia, and Thespesia being amongst the most conspicuous of the Mal- 
vaceae and Tiliaceae, which are predominant. The herbaw'ous flora, too, 
IS rich in widely diversified species and growth forms. Mfliiie the commonest 
plants are tlie gi’asses which occur in splendid profusion, the Asiatic, Aus- 
tralian, and African groups being mixed together, but tisually pr('dominat('d 
