NOTES OF A BOTANICAL TOUR IN TRAVANCORE, etc. 
59 
I will describe briefly some of the places at which I staid 
(^) Ayur, — A small native village, with a good traveller's bun- 
galow, 28 miles distant from Quilon. The general elevation of the 
surrounding country may be taken at about icjo feet; there are 
some hills, but none of any great height. It was here that I first 
came across the Zanonia indica ; a large huge climber with 
bunches of clavate fruits, weighing nearly a stone. It was here 
also that I first made acquaintance with I he Myristica magnificat 
Bedd. It is a tree which prefers svrampy ground, and always in 
high forest; and extends from i to 600 feet. Colonel Beddome 
found it in the hills of Courtallum, so that its range of growth 
orobably extends over some 80 miles of country, north and south. 
The tree is often fully 100 feet, or more in height. It has no 
distinct buttresses, so far as I observed; though this is stated by 
Beddome to be the case. The base of the tree in the more swampy 
places appears to rot, and the tree is then supported by vast stem-like 
roots, as is well known to be the case with many of the Rhizophoress^ 
The roots, which are all on the surface, sprawl along the ground, 
forming nodules, and even upright loops; rendering the walking 
under these trees anything but comfortable. In one case at Ayur, 
I crawled under the main stem of the tree. The wood, I believe, 
is of little value as timber. The other nutmegs here are the [3) 
Myristica attenuatat a tree from 60 to 80 feet in height, with a 
small oblong fruit. This grows with M, magnificat but on the 
drier slopes. (3) Myristica Canarica^ a tree about the same 
height as M. attenuatat and growing in the same sort of places. 
(4) M, Beddomiit King., grows at elevations of 2,000 feet and 
upwards. 
{b) Coolatoorpooly is 16 miles from Ayur, and only slightly 
higher; but there are hills, in many places densely wooded, which 
rise to the Height of 2,000 feet, on which grow many of the west 
country species of trees, such as Dysoxylum malabaricumt called 
in Cochin, the white Cedar ; Pterospermum rubiginosumt a tree 
from 100 to 120 feet in height, and with a wood which is hard 
and red. Pterospermum acerifolium is also common. Amoora 
Rohituka with the flowers on long pedicels was also common ; also 
Aglaia minutidora Var., Travancorica, At Coolatoorpooly there 
is a good traveller's bungalow, and this would form a good place 
from which to make excursions into the surrounding districts. 
(<?) Rockwood is a tea plantation 7 miles from Coolatoorpooly, 
