ix, c, 5 Gates: Pioneer Vegetation of Taal Volcano 431 
to many small areas. The extension in all directions from these 
centers gives expression to the general succession. 
5. As the vegetation back from the shore of the mainland to 
the west and southwest was devastated, seeds were not furnished 
for dispersal by the southwest winds, whereas the northeast 
monsoon winds, blowing over area but little affected, furnished 
seeds to the northeastern exposure of the island. There revege- 
tation has been most pronounced. 
6. The structure of the vegetation is quite simple, consisting 
of nine associations in three genetic series. The water along 
the shore contains aquatic plants, low damp areas are vegetated 
with marsh plants, and the strand with strand plants. The 
slopes up to the crater are generally vegetated first with grasses 
and then with shrubs and small trees (parang). At least at 
lower altitudes the parang is being followed by trees and treelike 
grasses (bamboo). 
7. Progress in revegetation is now very rapid. The following 
table gives a summary of the species of higher plants found on 
the island up to April, 1914 : 
Families. 
Genera. 
Species. 
Pteridophyta _ _ . _ . _ _ . 
3 
7 
9 
Spermatophyta: 
Monocotyledoneas . . . _ 
10 
25 
32 
44 
111 
138 
Total __ . _ . _ 
57 
143 
179 
Mosses, lichens, algae, and fungi were exceedingly poorly rep- 
resented. 
8. In contradistinction to Krakatoa, ferns are but a very 
minor element, due to the comparative lack of them on the 
neighboring mainland, the exceeding dryness of the island, and 
the low altitude of the volcano. Taal agrees with Krakatoa in 
that water- and wind-distributed species appeared before bird- 
distributed species. The time element is much smaller on Taal 
because the distances involved are less. The distances from 
Taal Island to the nearest points on the mainland are as follows : 
North to Talisay, 6.3 km; northeast to Banadero, 7.7 km; east 
to Lipa Point, 5 km; south, 13 km; southwest to Pansipit, 7.5 
km ; and west to Banos Point, 3.2 km. 
9. On account of the relative accessibility and the government 
prohibition against inhabitation the island presents excellent 
opportunities to study natural revegatation to its best advantage. 
