402 The Philippine Journal of Science 1914 
the bottom it is very heterogeneous, here frequently existing 
where it has fallen only until the next typhoon. Some strand 
plants are found in pockets at the shore and some wet ground 
beach and meadow plants, such as, Panicum repens, Cynodon 
dactylon, and Wedelia biflora, seem to be flourishing in spite 
of the general unfavorable habitat. 
Mount Balantoc is a large horseshoe-shaped ridge, highest 
(125 meters) farthest east, lying between Mount Binintiang 
Malaki and the crater. On the side exposed to the violence of 
the eruption, the vegetation at the present time is largely grass 
with a few shrubs, such as, Acacia farnesiana, Cordia myxa, 
Trema amboinensis, and Tabernaemontana subglobosa. Where 
not so exposed, the vegetation consists largely of vines, Strep- 
tocaulon baumii, Momordica ovata, Celastrus paniculata, in 
addition to convolvulaceous ones; shrubs and small trees, such 
as Cordia myxa, Albizzia procera, Tabernaemontana subglobosa, 
Acacia farnesiana, Trema amboinensis, Eugenia jambolana, 
Psulium guajava, Macaranga tanarius and Antidesma ghesaem- 
billa; with rather a small amount of grass in the open places. 
On the crest of the ridge are a number of dead trees, blown 
over and pointing away from the crater. This is particularly 
noticeable on the northern side of the horseshoe. A meager 
representation of the weed association, containing Erigeron 
linifolius, Ageratum conyzoides, Pterocaulon cylindrostachyum, 
and Waltheria americana, may also be present on the crest of 
the ridge. 
Within the area thus partly encircled, the vegetation is fairly 
well developed and contains a number of fair-sized trees. In 
addition to the woody species mentioned above are Semecarpus 
cuneiformis, Sterculia foetida, Oroxylum indicum, Case aria 
cinerea, Wrightia laniti, and Morinda bracteata as well as sev- 
eral banana plants. 
Forming the northwest corner of Taal Island is a peak, 
Mount Binintiang Malaki, whose summit, somewhat over 250 
meters, is, with the exception of the southern part of the crater 
rim, the highest point on the island. The slopes of this peak 
are decidedly steep and are precipitous on the eastern side. 
With such steep slopes the gullies are relatively shallow. An 
arc-shaped ridge, of which the summit is the highest place, 
partly encloses a small basin, the former eruptive center. The 
soil of this peak differs from the rest of the island in being 
somewhat reddish. The occurrence of Bulbostylis barbata, Van- 
dellia pusilla, Polanisia viscosa, and a species of Oldenlandia 
