ix, c, 5 Gates: Pioneer Vegetation of Taal Volcano 397 
the water front the lake has cut back the ridges so that steep 
bluffs, exhibiting tilted strata, are very prominant. The faces 
of these bluffs are quite generally plantless, except as vines may 
hang over from the top. Between the ridges, steep narrow 
gullies have been worn down to the lake where they may form 
pockets. In December, 1913, the sides of most of these gullies 
were vegetated with coarse grasses, Saccharum spontaneum and 
Themeda gigantea, sometimes present in sufficient quantity to 
form a nearly closed stand. On steeper slopes were isolated 
bunches of Themeda. A few common weeds were present in 
interstices in the grass areas, while the coming of parang or 
wooded conditions was heralded by the presence of a few 
clumps of Ficus indica and of Tabernaemontana subglobosa just 
below the crests of ridges. By April, 1914, the density had 
greatly increased and Antidesma rostratum and Eugenia jam- 
bolana had put in their appearance. 
The vegetation of the pockets next to the lake was char- 
acteristically a jumble of convolvulaceous vines, together with 
Momordica ovata and Canavalia lineata ■ With these vines there 
might also be a few weeds. Where the beach had been built up 
as a spit in front of the bluffs, Ipomoea pes-caprae extends from 
the pockets and occupies a normal strand position. Very rarely 
does this Ipomoea respond to the encroaching grass by growing 
up into it as other convolvulaceous vines generally do. 
On the north side, this peak is a high point in a rim which 
nearly surrounds a shallow basin, which except for a dozen 
clumps of Saccharum and two stools of Themeda is plantless; 
the slopes are essentially so, a few clumps of Sacchamcm and 
an occasional shrub of Ficus indica or Psidium guajava at the 
heads of small gullies, representing the progress in revegetation. 
Mount Binintiang Munti is connected with the main body of 
Taal Island by a wide peninsula, across which is placed Mount 
Saluyan, a short ridge somewhat over 50 meters high. On its 
moderately gullied sides were relatively very few plants in 
October, 1913 — Saccharum spontaneum, Acacia farnesiana, and 
Ficus indica. Their density was noticeably increased by the 
following April, by which time Tabernaemontana subglobosa and 
Morinda bracteata had also appeared. On the side away from 
the volcano are a few stumps of large trees, blown over and 
buried, but now being exposed as the mud is being washed away. 
North of this ridge is the outlet valley of a basin, separated 
from the crater by a razor-back part of the rim and bordered by 
steep ridges. A lake may be present during a rainy period. 
