Flora of the Ceylon Littoral. i r 
sand-plants. Cyperus arenarius, which is a characteristic sea-shore 
plant, Ischcemum muticum (Gramineae), both maritime and inland, 
Cyanotis axillaris (Commelinaceae) and Portulaca quadrifida, 
neither specially maritime, are examples. Many of the Cyperaceae 
common in the inner zone have a tufted habit, e.g. Fimbristylis 
spathacea, F. tristachya and the annuals Bidbostylis barbata and 
var. pulchella, B. pubernla and Cyperus pyguiceus. Of these the first 
is exclusively maritime, the next two are largely littoral, while the 
last two are not specially characteristic of the coast flora. 
Fig. 6. Diagrammatic section perpendicular to the coast-line shewing the 
Pes-caprae formation and remains of Beech-jungle fringing the coco-nuts. 
A certain number of Dicotyledons have a somewhat similar 
tufted habit, a number of stems arising from the top of a single 
