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CHAP. III

VEGETATION.—TREES AND PLANTS.

• The Flora of Ceylon imperfectly known 83
• Vegetation similar to that of India and the Eastern Archipelago 84
• Trees of the sea-borde.—Mangroves—Screw-pines, Sonneratia 85
• The Northern Plains.—Euphorbiæ Cassia.—Mustard-tree of Scripture 87
• Western coast.—Luxurious vegetation 87
• Eastern coast 88
• Pitcher plant.—Orchids 88
• Vines 89
• Botany of the Mountains.—Iron-wood, Bamboo, European fruit-trees 90
• • Tea-plant—Rhododendron—Mickelia 90
  • Rapid disappearance of dead trees in the forests 91
  • Trees with natural buttresses 91
• Flowering Trees.—Coral tree 92
• • The Murutu—Imbul—Cotton tree—Champac 93
  • The Upas Tree—Poisons of Ceylon 95
  • The Banyan 95
  • The Sacred Bo-tree 97
  • The India Rubber-tree—The Snake-tree 98
  • Kumbuk-tree: lime in its bark 99
• Curious Seeds.—The Dorian, Sterculia foetida 100
  • The Sea Pomegranate 100
  • Strychnos, curious belief as to its poison 101
• Euphorbia—The Cow-tree, error regarding (note) 101
• Climbing plants, Epiphytes, and flowering creepers 102
• Orchids—Brilliant terrestrial orchid, the Wanna-raja.—Square-stemmed Vine 103
• Gigantic climbing Plants 104
  • Enormous bean 105
  • Bonduc seeds.—Ratans—Ratan bridges 106
• Thorny Trees.—Raised as a natural fortification by the Kandyans 107
  • The buffalo thorn, Acacia tomentosa 108
• Palms 109
  • Coco-nut—Talipat 110
  • Palmyra 111
  • Jaggery Palm—Arcea Palm