AnnualReport-1883 — Page 112

1,000 to 3,000 feet altitude, a very beautiful and prosperous looking valley, or kind of plateau. Here, as for 300 miles up the West River, the absence of forest scenery is painfully impressed on one. When seen from a distance of several miles the mountains show a very small area of forest growth on them. However, in places where trees have been permitted to remain undisturbed by the reckless wood-cutters they have assumed in many places noble proportions. These lovely and interesting exceptions to the bareness of the mountains are invariably surrounding monasteries secluded in sheltered and rich ravines, and they owe their preservation to the protection and fostering care of the priests. Even in spite of the sacredness of the localities the priests in some places complain of the troublesome people who frequently make raids on the priests' domains for the purpose of securing firewood.

33. The trees of Pinus sinensis adjacent to the Wong Lung Kun monastery are very fine indeed, but they are exceeded in magnificence by those of the So Liu Kun monastery, secluded at an altitude of about 800 feet, where six of them, within a radius of about 50 yards in a dense mixed forest of luxuriant trees averaged 11 feet 7 inches in girth at 6 feet from the ground, and about 150 feet in height. The largest of them was 15 feet 4 inches in circumference. A pine tree which had been blown down and was being cut up I measured and found its height to have been 102 feet, circumference at 10 feet from the ground 7 feet 10 inches, and it had 75 annual rings. Rivalling these were splendid trees of Mangifera indica, the Hog Plum, 11 feet in girth, Liquidambar formosana 6 feet 2 inches, Litsea sp. upwards of 5 feet, and Paratropia cantonensis 4 feet 6 inches, the latter, which we are accustomed to see as a shrub only, was here, as will be understood from the girth, a large tree, and on its stem and branches were innumerable epiphytal orchids. Amongst the trees were also exquisite specimens 80 feet high of Dr. HANCE's new palm Caryota ochlandra, the fibre from the leaf sheaths of which is used for rope making &c. On their stems at a great height from the ground were plants of the grand fern Polypodium coronans encircling the stems and forming most beautiful objects. Camphora Parthenoxylon was also here in abundance with stems nearly 9 feet in girth. The camphor trees bore on their stems and branches abundance of orchids of two species, which were probably Dendrobium japonicum and a Phalaenopsis, living plants of both of which are now flourishing in our Gardens. A very fine tree of Celtis japonica had all its larger branches completely covered with the fine Malay orchid Dendrobium aggregatum and the Chinese Polypodium Fortunei; near here, also, were very fine specimens of the beautiful tree fern Alsophila spinulosa, which had been first discovered in China at this place by my observant companion the Rev. Mr. FABER, about three years ago.

34. In abundance near the mountain stream I noticed Viburnum Fordiæ, HANCE, which I first discovered on the West River in 1882, looking extremely beautiful with its branches laden and gracefully drooping over rocks with the weight of its bright coral-red fruit.

35. Not far from the So Liu Kun monastery close to a village a magnificent specimen of the longan tree (Nephelium longan) had all its limbs and trunk covered and festooned with the epiphytal asclepiadaceous plant Dischidia chinensis, which hitherto had not been seen out of Hongkong. The sight was exceedingly beautiful and one not likely to be soon forgotten.

36. During the expedition upwards of 850 living plants were collected, and 320 species were collected and dried for the herbarium and brought back to Hongkong. As the collections were made the boxes and packages of plants were despatched, a few at a time, in charge of a member of the staff to Hongkong, to avoid any suspicion or obstruction on the part of the natives, who, had they seen the whole collection leaving at one time, might have given some trouble to us.

37. Living and dried specimens of all the interesting plants have been sent to the Royal Gardens, Kew, from whence I have been favoured by the Assistant Director, Mr. THISELTON DYER with a report on them by Professor OLIVER.

38. Twenty-nine species, of which fifteen are apparently new to science, have not hitherto been found out of China.

39. The plants of the following list which BENTHAM in the Flora Hongkongensis states had been known only from Hongkong were seen on the Lo-fau-shan mountains:

Acrostichum decurrens, Hook.
Ainsliæa fragrans, Champ.
Alsophila podophylla, Hook.
Alyxia sinensis, Champ.
Ardisia primulæfolia, Gardn.
Argyreia Championi, Benth.
Atalantia Hendsii, Oliv.
Bauhinia Championi, Benth.
Bolbophyllum radiatum, Hance.
Bowringia callicarpa, Champ.
Camellia reticulata, Lindl.
Camellia assimilis, Champ.
Calophyllum membranaceum, Gardn.
Capparis pumila, Gardn.
Clematis crassifolia, Benth.
Diospyros eriantha, Champ.
Dischidia chinensis, Champ.
Elaeocarpus chinensis, Hook, fil.
Eurya Macartneyi, Champ.
Ficus chlorocarpa, Benth.
Ficus impressa, Champ.
Ilex viridis, Champ.
Indigofera venulosa, Champ.
Itea chinensis, Hook and Arn.
Millettia Championi, Benth.
Ophiorhiza pumila, Champ.
Quercus fissa, Champ.
Rhus hypoleuca, Champ.
Rubus leucanthus, Hance.
Samara obovata, Benth.
Senecio Stauntonii, DC.
Stipellaria trewioides, Benth.