TN CEYLON. 
15 
feet. Here there is one specimen of D. Embryopteris 
measuring no less than 16^ feet in circumference, not allowing 
for the undulations in outline, which, if taken into account, 
would give a total circumference of over 20 feet and a height 
of 130 feet. Specimens of D. Ebenum also occur in the same 
forest which have a circumference of nearly 13 feet and a 
total height of 100 feet. 
With the wet zone species there is likewise a wide range 
of variability, though only few species attain the huge 
dimensions of the dry zone plants. 
Among the smallest trees we may place D. pruriens, since 
in the Sinha Raja district a single plant is often of convenient 
size for a herbarium sheet. This species, when it attains its 
maximum dimensions along the rocky slopes of the Peak 
Wilderness, rarely exceeds a total height of 9 metres (30 feet) 
and a circumference of 30*5 cm. (12 inches). 
In point of size, D. acuta and D. attenuata come next to 
D. pruriens. In the wet forests of Pasdun korale these 
species occur in the form of small trees, from 20 to 30 feet in 
height and 1 to 4 inches in diameter. The leaders have often 
a weeping habit, particularly in D. attenuata, and though only 
1 inch in diameter, may bear abundance of flowers and fruits. 
One specimen of D. attenuata was obtained in flower in the 
Wewella forest which had a short straggling leader only 
14*0 cm. in diameter. Trees of these species frequently occur 
in groups of three to fourteen trunks matted together by dense 
woody roots at the common base of the trunks, and this, 
together with the weeping habit, is suggestive of the bamboo 
clumps growing in the same area. 
D. hirsuta, though occurring so abundantly along the 
streams around Ratnapura, Eratna, and Hiniduma, rarely 
exceeds 9 metres (30 feet) in height and 20 cm. (8 inches) 
in diameter. When the stem is only 7*5 to 10*2 cm. (3 to 4 
inches) in diameter the plant bears fertile seeds. 
D. Thwaitesii, except in the Hiniduma district, is a tree 
similar in size to D. hirsuta, and in the Hewessa and Palakete 
