Flora of the Ceylon Littoral. 
3 
Fig. 1. Map of S.W. Ceylon with the coast-towns and villages mentioned in 
the text, and the rainfall regions from the Rainfall map in Trimen’s 
“ Handbook.” Scale about 45 miles to an inch. 
We may start with the recognition of the four formations into 
•which, according to Schimper, the coastal plant-associations of the 
Eastern Tropics naturally group themselves :— 
1 . 
2 . 
3. 
4. 
The Pes-caprae -formation ) on sand (or sometimes other 
The Barringtonia- formation) soil), above tide marks. 
The Mangrove-formation | 
The Nipa -formation ) 
on tidal mud. 
This division no doubt forms the basis of a natural classification 
of the coast-vegetation, though it would be of great intei’est to 
endeavour to delimit the last three formations more exactly than 
has been possible hitherto. 
The mangrove formation for instance, as Schimper truly says 
(p. 67), passes on the one hand into the Barringtonia-formsction and 
on the other into the iV7/>a-formation. No better example of the 
intermingling of these three formations could be given than the 
vegetation on the river banks at Kalutara, described below (Part II.). 
An additional formation, to cover the herbaceous mud-vegetation is 
also required. Nevertheless we are not able to propose a new 
classification, since our experience is not sufficiently extended to 
warrant an attempt to modify Schimper’s arrangement, which was 
founded on a much wider knowledge than we possess. 
