FLORA OF THE SUNDRIBUNS. 
25 ^ 
nagore, the only ones that can be got to thrive and to flower are 
Kandelia Rheedei and Bruguiera gymnorhiza* Sundri [Heritiei^a 
min0r)-'2ind what is true of Sundri holds good for Amur, Pussur, 
Kedar Sundri and Shingra— is to be found everywhere throughout 
the forests, but it diminishes considerably in size as we pass westward 
to where the rivers become more aestuarial and carry outward less 
fresh water, and diminishes still more both in size and in quantity as 
we pass southward to where the mangroves predominate. It reaches 
its highest pitch of development and forms a far purer forest in the 
northern Bagirhat and in the Khulna forests, where the islands are 
flooded during the rains by the fresh water of streams distributed im- 
mediately from the Ganges. While, however, this is the case, Sundri 
and its companions do not extend northward into the Bengal plain 
and even so near its proper habitat as Calcutta, it cannot be induced 
to’ thrive so well as the nearly allied Heritiera littoralis which is, 
in its proper habitat, more tolerant of salt-water than H, minor. 
Gengwa {Excoecaria Agallochd)^ the only species in the Sundribuns 
that grows with equal vigour in localities suitable for Sundri or for 
the mangroves, extends naturally into the Bengal plain, and is as 
healthy and vigorous at Calcutta as it is in its swamp-forest habitat. 
Keora [Sonneratia apetald)^ which practically ceases southward 
where the mangroves begin, extends northward a little way into the 
Bengal plain but only on the banks of tidal rivers and only where 
the water is distinctly brackish at high tide. The species survives 
but does not thrive at Calcutta. Hital {Phcenix paludosa) does not 
appear naturally to extend into the Bengal plain, but in spite of this 
it attains, as a planted species in the Calcutta Garden, to a height of 
stem surpassing anything to be met with in the Sundribuns. Gol- 
patta {Nipd) can be kept alive at Calcutta, but does riot there grow 
vigorously. Amanta [Dalbergia spinosd) also extends a^ong river- 
banks well into the Bengal plain, but the nearly related Panchioli 
[Dalhergia torta\ disappears from the banks of the rivers before the 
northern boundary of the swamp-forest is reached. 
A few species seem even more indifferent than Gengwa and ex- 
tend naturally northwards along river-banks as far as the influence of 
the tides is felt at all. The best instances of truly littoral species that 
thus accompany the tide-flow are Hibiscus tiliaceus^ Thespesia 
populnea^ Erythrina indica^ Canavalia tufgida (C. lineata^ though 
so nearly related, does not), Phaseolus adenanthus, Vigna luteola, 
Perris uliginosa, Pongamia glabra^ Morinda bracteata, Stietocar^ 
dia tilicefolia, Acanthus ilicifolius. a 
The 334 species so far reported from the Sundribuns belong to 
245 genera and to 75 natural orders. Of these 75 orders, no fewer 
