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 112
Betel-chewing, its theory and uses 112
Pingos 114
Timber Trees 115
Jakwood—Del—Teak 116
Suria 117
Cabinet Woods.—Satin-wood—Ebony—Cadooberia 117
Calamander, its rarity and beauty 118
Tamarind 119
Fruit-trees 119
Remarkable power of trees to generate cold and keep their fruit chill 121
Aquatic Plants—Lotus, red and blue 123
Desmanthus natans, an aquatic sensitive plant 123