347 
Among these erect vascular plants tlie proportion of woody to her¬ 
baceous is therefore :— 
Woody sp.: Herbaceous sp. :: 3 : 2. 
Of the climbers 35 are woody and 43 are herbaceous so that here 
the proportion is :— 
Woody sp.: Herbaceous sp.; : 2 : 2^. 
Instead thei’efore of being lower amongst climbers than erect species, 
the proportion of herbaceous species to woody ones, when attention is 
confined to vascular plants only, is actually higher. And in number 
of individuals too there is a much more even balance among climbing 
species, since herbaceous climbing species, as well as woody ones, can 
easily raise themselves to the light and air for want of which no great 
quantity of herbaceous undergrowth can exist; indeed the herbaceous 
climbing species possess many advantages over their woody rivals, for 
they are not as a rule so heavy and as, moreover, they sometimes (e. g., 
Modecca, Trichosanthes, Dioscorea, Qloriosa) die down annually, they do 
not destroy the species on which they are supported so soon as do heavy 
perennial creepers like Calamus, Tlmnhergia, Anodendron, Ghonemorplia, 
Berris, etc., which in a few season drag down the trees on which they 
climb. 
Some of the woody climbers, such as Anodendron and Tlmnhergia, 
climb to great heights, and are not surpassed in this respect even by the 
Modecca. The majority of the woody climbers, however, like Sarcostigma, 
Salacia, Pisonia aculeata, Pleaospermum, the species of Acacia and of 
Capparis, are not to be found on tall trees at all, but load heavily the 
woody undergrowth of small trees and shrubs that forms the bulk of the 
forest. Hor is it unusual to find the forest, where composed of tall trees, 
exhibiting both classes of creepers ; the characteristic lofty creepers on 
the tall trees overhead, the heavy woody creepers on the shrubby under¬ 
growth below. 
Of the climbing species 20, or 25%, are armed. As a rule the 
armed species may be said to belo'ng to the class of undergrowth clim¬ 
bers ; with the exception of the two species of Calamus, the lofty climbers 
are unarmed. 
The habit of the Coco Island species is shewn in the subjoined table. 
157 
