ITINERARY AND GUIDE.

[Names of plants with an asterisk prefixed are native to Ceylon.]

THE entrance to the Gardens stands back from the
high road at an angle, and is approached from opposite
directions by two short curved drives. Previously to
1832, when it was diverted to its present course on the
completion of the satinwood bridge over the Mahaweli,
the high road passed close by the Garden gates. On
the triangular grass plot enclosed by the drives are
fine specimens of the Honduras mahogany (Swietenia
Mahogani) and the West Indian Star apple (Chryso-
phyllum Cainito); and, on the right hand side, the
magnificent grove of Assam India-rubber trees (Ficus
elastica) cannot fail to attract attention. These were
planted about 1833 ; their singular laterally flattened
roots meandering over the surface of the ground
suggest, huge saurians. It is this tree in its young
state which is so commonly grown in pots in European
houses. The rubber forms a large export from Assam,
where the trees are the subject of careful conservation
by the Indian Government. The Garden gates (erected
1867 in place of heavy wooden ones) are flanked on
either side by African oil-palms (E1oeis quineensis),
and their posts are completely draped with the graceful
Bignonia Unquis-cati of Brazil-so named from the
claw-like tendrils by which it climbs.
Immediately on entering, the visitor is confronted by
a fine group of palms and allied plants (1) (planted
in 1839, enlarged in 1863), containing all the native
species and many foreign ones. Among the former
may be observed the stem-now dead and dry but
wreathed with a climbing Cactus (Cereus triangularis),
-of the talipot (*Corypha umbraculifera), of which
there are many specimens of different ages about the
Gardens. The talipot is perhaps the noblest of all
palms; it flowers but once-after attaining its full age
and altitude, and then dies: this tree flowered in 1877.
Notice also the arecanut palm or "puwak" (*Areca
Catechu), the seed of which is used in enormous quan-
tities throughout the East as an essential ingredient
in the masticatory called betel, the other essentials
being lime and the leaf of a pepper (Piper Betle).
Here is also a larger-fruited variety (var. alba) called
in Malaya, whence it comes, " Pinang Putih" or white
arecanut. The jaggery palm or " kitul" (* Caryota
urens), the palmyrah or "tal" (*Borassus flabellifor-
mis), and the coconut or "pol" (* Cocos nucifera) are
all familiar and very useful palms; whilst the very
graceful tufted but spiny "katu kittul" (* Oncosperma
fasciculata), the sturdy "dotalu" (*Loxococcus rupi-
cola), and the slender "lenateri" (*Areca concinna)
are interesting as being peculiar to Ceylon, a country
which, with all its luxuriance, is not rich in palms.
Of the exotic species may be noted the great Brazilian
Inaja or Cocurito (Maximiliana regia), the Livistona
australis, L. altissima, L. chinensis, and other species,
the royal palm of Cuba (Oreodoxa regia), the Palmetto
(Sabal Palmetto) of the South United States, and
many others. A date-palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is
also here, (but never flowers) and several specimens of
the wild date-palm or "indi" (*Phoenix sylvestris), the
fruit of which is scarcely edible. Observe also here
specimens of *Cycas circinallis, "madu," often but
incorrectly called sago palm, the starchy seeds and pith
of which are both articles of food; and of Carludovica
palmata of Central America, from the leaves of which
the celebrated and expensive Panama hats are made.
The-visitor may now take the road to the left (Lake-
road) noticing at the corner (17) a specimen of the
ornamental " rata-goraka" or "Cochin-goraka" (Gar-
cinia Xanthochymus), a native of South India and
Malaya grown in Ceylon for its pleasantly acid bright
yellow fruit; and behind the opposite bed (16) the
pyramidal form of the Durian (Durio zibethinus), ori-
ginally from the Malay Archipelago. It produces its im-
mense and nauseously-scented fruit here but very rarely.
Along the left hand side of the road (R) will be seen
a handsome fan-palm (Latania Commersonii) from
Mauritius; the curious Napoleona imperialis of Tropi-
ca1 Africa with flowers more like a sea-anemone than
an imperial crown; Amherstia nobilis from British
Burmah (dedicated by Dr. Wallich to Lady Amherst
and her daughter) one of the most strikingly beautiful
of flowering trees; Brownea coccinea of Central
America; Castilloa elastica, which affords the India-
rubber of Panama, &c.; and the Brazil-nut tree (Ber
tholletia excelsa) the seeds of which are so well known.
On the right hand (P) are specimens of * Gardenia
latifolia; of the cajuput-oil tree of Moluccas (Melaleuca
minor), with pendulous branchlets and a papery bark;
the once famous Upas tree of Java (Antiaris toxicaria)
and its close ally the "riti" or sack tree (*Antiaris
innoxia);the balsam of Tolu (Toluifera Balsamum)
from New Grenada; and the Malayan rambutan
(Nephelium lappaceum), which affords one of the most
pleasant fruits of the tropics. Behind these will be
seen fine trees of the "kekuna" (* Canarium zeylani-
cum) which yields a balsamic resin, and the true cam
phor ( Cinnamomum Camphora) of China and Japan.
A very striking feature of this road are the "ruins"
-tall old tree trunks completely covered up by dense
masses of the great Burmese creeper, Thunbergia lauri-
folia. Though thus suggesting the ivy of northern
Europe, its large pale violet-blue flowers are in great
contrast with that homely plant. Passing these, a
very aged cinnamon (* Cinnamomum zeylanicum) is
conspicuous at the angle of the road. Though natu-
rally forming thus a large tree, for the purposes of the
bark-grower the cinnamon is kept coppiced (as may
be seen in the plantations near Colombo), and appears
a mere shrub. Another native cinnamon (*C. citri-
odorum) with sweet lemon-scented leaves will be found
nearly opposite (in P). On the right hand (in R)
notice the clove tree of the Moluccas (Euqenia cary-
ophyllata) ;-the well-known spice consists of the
unopened flowers.
Continuing straight on, two small trees of the
gamboge of Ceylon, or "gokatu" (* Garcinia Morella)
may be noted on the right (R). The gamboge is of
excellent quality. Just beyond, with its thick sausage-
like fruits pendulous on very long stalks, observe the
curious tropical African tree Kigelia pinnata.
Here the road to the left may be taken to visit the
newly-opened South Garden (cleared in 1881), of
which the planting has but recently commenced.
Skirting the pond the road first passes between two
magnificent clumps of bamboo-that on the right from
Java (Gigantochloa aspera), a very hard kind much
used for building there, and that on the left the giant
bamboo of Malacca (Dendrocalamus giganteus.) This,
which was introduced to the Gardens in 1856, is the
largest known bamboo. The culms, which attain a
length of nearly 100 feet, and a diameter of 9 inches,
appear during the rains in June and July, and grow at
a rate of fully a foot in 24 hours, thus soon reaching to
full height. At the other end of the pond is a
still finer example of this species, and many will be seen
along the river bank and in other parts of the Garden.
In the hedge on the left are many sappan trees
(Coesalpinia Sappan)-an Indian dye-wood long ago
introduced into Ceylon. Thence, passing the small
rockery with succulent plants-among which may be
noted Aloe Perryi from Socotra, which affords the true
Socotran aloes of medicine - the new drive (crossing
the line of the old Colombo-Kandy road which here
passed to a ferry) continues near the river bank. In the
hollow on the left are planted for experimental pur-
poses, varieties from Trinidad, of the cacao or chocolate
tree (Theobroma Cacao.) On the river bank may be
seen examples of Para India-rubber (Hevea brasi-
liensis), which affords the most valuable kind of rubber,
and young trees of two kinds of gutta-percha from
Perak (Payena Leerii and Dichopsis sp) affording
" Gatah Sundek" and "Gatah Taban Putih" respec-
tively. (Examples of "Gatah Taban Merah" (Dichopsis
Gutta) may be seen in D). A bed of Malabar carda-
moms (Elettaria Cardamomum) is also planted here.
On the left hand has been recently laid out a syste-
matic herbaceous ground for the accommodation
of as many of the annuals and herbaceous perennials
of Ceylon and other countries as can be made to grow.
The 48 beds are portioned out among those Natural
Orders which are represented in the tropics by species
of a herbaceous character. Many pretty and interest-
ing flowers are established here. A plant of "Jamaica"
sarsaparilla, (Smilax officinalis) is growing over a jak-
tree at the corner of this ground. Passing a small
kitchen garden and nurseries arranged round a
little tank, the drive terminates in a broad oval loop,
and the enclosed space, 285 feet across, is devoted
entirely to a systematic collection of palms.
These are being continually planted out, but the speci-
mens are of course as yet all quite young. Round the
drive the series of cycads, screw-pines (Pandanus),
agaves, aloes and bamboos are being planted.
At the southern end of the drive a view of the
construction of the satinwood bridge (opened for traffic
in 1832) can be obtained; its span is 205 feet. Along
the high bank of the road leading to it is being
planted a large collection of climbing and twining
shrubs in systematic order.
Carriages must return by the same route to the pond,
but a foot-path passes to the same point from the
northern side of the loop along the upper portion of
the Garden. This skirts part of the recently-com-
menced classified arboretum, passing the Orders
Leguminosae and Rubiaceae, &c., on the right. By
ascending the hill to the right behind the bungalow a
picturesque and extensive view will be obtained.
On regaining the drive by the great bamboos the
visitor will continue its course to the left. On the
slope to the pond (Q) are fine trees of the Bunya-
bunya pine of Queensland (Araucaria Bidwillii), and
by the pond itself specimens of the ambash or pith-
tree of the Nile (Herminiera ElapHroxylon), the light
pith-like wood of which is used by the natives for floats
in crossing that river. Observe also the curious shrubby
compositous plant from Brazil, Stifftia chrysantha; and
on the hill on the right (0) the sandalwood (Santalum
album) a native of the drier elevated plains of South
India, but not of Ceylon ; Grevillea robusta, introduced
from Queensland and now commonly planted in all
parts of the Island ; and the "kahata" (* Careya
arborea), a common hard-wooded tree with astringent
bark, over which is climbing the well-known and showy
South American creeper, Bougainvillea spectabilis. At
the turn of the road the river bank is reached and
another gigantic mass of the great bamboo (Dendroca-
lamus giganteus) growing much below the road is
passed. Beneath it is a clump of the very useful "male"
or solid bamboo (Dendrocalamus strictus), common in
South India and Malaya, but not native to Ceylon.
The South American shrub, Petraea volubilis, is
extremely beautiful when covered with its copious
masses of flowers, the violet-like corolla set in the
turquoise-blue calyx. The trees on the bank above the
road are the Himalayan cypress ( Cupressus torulosa) ;
the pencil cedar of Bermuda (Juniperus bermudiana) ;
the Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria excelsa), and the
sacred Champak of India (Michelia Champaca) (called
"sapu" by the Sinhalese) the scented yellow flowers of
which are common temple offerings. The " cactus"-
like, "Daluk" (*Euphorbia antiquorum), a very com-
mon tree in the drier parts of Ceylon, and a pretty
native screw-pine (*Pandanus zeylanicus), will also
be noticed here.

[ Back to Hand-Guide to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya ]

12 April 1998