46 
Tansley and Fritsch. 
occasional tree of Ccrbern or Barringtonia, where the mangrove 
growth is less dense. We did not go any higher up the river, but 
we understand that mangroves extend many miles further, though 
we have no information as to where they definitely become 
subordinate to and finally disappear before the inland jungle- 
trees. On the other hank the same phenomena arc met with. 
Rhizophora conjugata, with fine pyramidal crowns and bushy 
lower foliage over the outermost stilt-roots (Fig. 11), reaching a 
height of 50 feet and forming, in some places, a regular forest. 
In one spot solid ground came down to the river bank, and here 
there was a gap in the mangroves, Mesua ferrea with its 
beautiful crimson young foliage, and Vateria, appeared behind, 
with Terminalia Catappa and Cerbera in front. Lower down 
again the bank was solid at intervals, and coconut compounds 
appeared close to the river, with mangroves (especially 
Acanthus), and semi-mangroves (e.g. Terminalia, Sonneratia, 
Cerbera), at intervals. Amongst the Acrostichum, which occurred 
here, an occasional Pandanus was met with. The impression left 
on one’s mind was that at one time the mangroves, mainly Rhizo¬ 
phora, had fringed the entire estuary for several miles from the 
sea. The banks of the lower mile or two have been largely cleared 
at intervals and partially embanked for coconut planting, and on 
the solid mud above the water level thus provided the Barringtonia- 
Tcrminalia flora gets a footing, with an occasional patch of true 
mangroves, the embryos of which are brought down from higher 
up the river and germinate very freely wherever they can find a 
flat or sloping muddy bank exposed. 
Mataka River. 
The river at Matara presents a distinctly different vegetation, 
though, as we shall see presently, largely owing to artificial causes. 
The vegetation of the backwater not far from the mouth may 
be first described. The dominant waterside forms were Sonneratia, 
Clirysodium aureum, Cerbera and Nipa (plentiful and well-developed) 
with an occasional tree of Heritiera liltoralis and Terminalia 
Catappa just behind the fringe. At the upper end of this back¬ 
water we found the freshwater jfussicea repens with its brilliant 
white aerenchym-covered roots standing up in clusters. 
A little island in the estuary below the backwater shewed a 
perfect and complete zonation of Acanthus, Sonneratia and Coco¬ 
nuts in that order from the water’s edge, with a little Cerbera 
andjChrysodium among the coconuts. The curious aquatic Trapa 
