by a number of the large fruit-eating bats or flying-
foxes (Pteropus Edwardsii). Another, perhaps, more
striking specimen of the same Ficus is seen on the left
by the river road.
The Outer Drive thus again reached may be
continued round the northern end of the Gardens for
over half a-mile. The road is shaded throughout by
large trees, many very old and either part of the original
jungle or planted before the formation of the Gardens.
The large number of "sapu" or "champak" (Michelia
Champaca), and "kananga" (Cananga odorata), nei-
ther of which are native to Ceylon, is remarkable;
the latter is said to afford, by distillation of its flowers,
the scent called "ilang-ilang." Among these have been
planted a very large number of other and rare species.
Along the river bank the visitor will notice several
sorts of bamboo, the wild "una" (*Bambusa vulgaris,
var.) with its bright golden-yellow stems being the
most abundant; also species of Pandanus (P. furca-
tus, P. dubius, P. labyrinthicus, and others) and many
palms both planted and self-sown. The festoons and
ropes of vines, lianes and creepers, often strangely
knotted and twisted together and stretched across from
tree to tree will also attract attention ; these are mostly
plants of the natural orders Menispermaceae, Ampeli-
deae, Apocynaceae, Bignoniaceae, and Leguminosae, of
which latter the native "pus-wel" (*Entada scandens)
is one of the largest. In this part of Garden much
is left to nature, whose luxuriance, however, has to be
somewhat pruned and kept in check. The smaller
creepers growing round every tree are principally pep-
per (*Piper nigrum) and the singular *Potkos scandens;
on the stems grow many parasitic species of Ficus,
while pendulous from the branches of old mango and
other trees may be observed tufts of the curious leaf-
less *Rhipsalis Cassytha, a plant of peculiar interest to
the botanist as being the only species of the great
Cactus Order found in an indigenous wild state outside
of the New World.
At a short distance along the road a gap in the bam-
boos gives a pretty vignette view of the satinwood
bridge and a long stretch of the river. The opposite
shore is the estate of Gangaruwa, of interest as being
the first on which coffee was systematically planted
and cultivated, about 1823.** The northern point of the
Garden is soon reached, and the drive following the
river bank is continued eastward for some distance.
Advantage may be taken of the roads and foot-paths
which turn off from the right of the drive to explore
the forest-like arboretum (A, B, C, D, E, F on plan),
which includes a great variety of trees and shrubs,
palms and climbers, from all parts of the tropics,
planted, without order, amongst the old indigenous
trees. The Bat Drive (see plan) is especially pretty;
it conducts the visitor back to the central main drive.

** Coffee was introduced to Ceylon by the Dutch, probably
about 1690.

The river road now reaches and passes through an
avenue of royal palms (Oreodoxa regia) planted
about thirty years ago ; between their smooth column
like stems are seen (H) abundance of cacao or choco-
late trees (Theobroma Cacao), ** fine specimens of the
Gomuti or sugar palm of Java (Arenga saccharifera)
and other palms, the traveller's-tree (Ravenala), &c.
Further off is a small example of the Tropical African
Baobab (Adansonia digitata) which thrives well in the
dry north of the Island.
Turning to the right at the end of this avenue more
cacao will be seen, and an old patch of China tea
(Camellia Thea, var. chinensis.)*** This latter is not
much cultivated, a cross between it and the larger-
leaved kind native to Assam being much preferred;
of this, a quantity will be found in F. On the left is
a plantation of Manila hemp, or rather plantain (Musa
textilis). Towards the Fernery a patch of several trees
of Liberian coffee (Coffea liberica) will be reached on
the left ; these are the original plants introduced into
Ceylon in 1873 and 1874. Close by (in H) is a tree
of the mangosteen (Garcinia Mangostana), a Malayan
fruit well known and much esteemed, and successfully

** Cacao was introduced into Ceylon previously to the year
1819, possibly in Dutch times, but the precise date is not known.
*** Tea was grown in Ceylon in 1824, but was not cultivated for
use till fully twenty years later.

 

cultivated in many parts of the south-west of the
Island. Of thetamarind (Tamarindus indica),abun-
dant and half-naturalized in Ceylon, there is a tree just
behind the Liberian coffee. Near here, also, will be
noticed with interest the three kinds of India rubber
trees introduced from South America in 1876 at the
expense of the Indian Government. The branched
tree with papery bark (Manihot Glaziovii) affords the
Ceara rubber, and is already common in Ceylon.
The five large-leaved trees next to them are Castil-
loa elastica, (already mentioned), yielding Central
American and Panama rubber. The other (Hevea
brasiliensis), giving Para rubber and esteemed the
best sort, is represented by the group of slender-
stemmed unbranched trees with small heads at a
little distance off. All these have afforded here rubber
of as good a quality as in their native countries. In
the same ground some "Cassia lignea" trees from
South China (Cinnamomum Cassia), recently received,
are planted.
From here the pedestrian can proceed towards the
planthouses and office by any one of three footpaths
through K and L (see plan), but carriages should go
back to the outer drive at the end of the Oreodoxa
avenue and continue along the river-bank. Some
distance off, on the right, will be observed a fine row
of tall trees, under which passes one of the footpaths
above mentioned; these are the Java almond (Cana-
rium commune), with edible seeds and affording also
an odorous resin ; the narrow buttresses to the stem
are remarkable. Close to the road are some trees of
the pyramidal "na," or Ceylon ironwood (* Mesua
ferrea), equally to be admired for its ornamental form,
its useful timber, its beautiful and sweet-scented flowers,
and the young leaves which, at first brilliant blood-red,
gradually pass into the deep green above and white
beneath of the adult foliage. On the river side a large
tree of the sandbox (Hura crepitans) is noticeable,
and the red cotton-tree or "katu-imbul" (*Bombax
malabaricus). This latter is one of our few deciduous
trees : it is a striking object in January and February
when bare of leaves but covered with handsome scarlet
flowers. The cotton covering its seeds is short, but is
largely used as stuffing for pillows and cushions, and is
exported to some small extent. Close to the river are
trees of the candle-nut or Otaheite walnut (Aleurites
triloba), a native of the Moluccas, &c., but much planted
about Ceylon villages for the oil ("kekuna-tel") ex-
pressed from the seeds. Observe here on the right, small
trees of Styrax Benzoin from Sumatra, which affords
the fragrant gum-resin known as "Gum Benjamin," and
much used in incense ; there are others in the Gardens.
Next to them are cultivated pepper plants (Piper
nigrum) from Singapore, differing somewhat from the
Ceylon variety. The nettle-like plant, of which several
beds will be noticed here and elsewhere, is the Rheea
or Ramie of India and China (Boehmeria nivea), afford-
ing the fibre known as "China grass"; it has become
a weed in the Gardens. A small tree close to the road
is the Li-chee of China (Nephelium Litchi), a pleasant
fruit. Further on, in a small artificial swamp, are a
number of sago palms from Borneo (Metroxylon Sagu)
(sago is the food of the people in many of the Malayan
Islands) ; a fine young talipot palm stands behind
these. More Para rubber trees are passed, and behind
them, growing over dead branches fastened in the
ground are several of the climbing India rubbers of
Eastern Tropical Africa (Landolphia Kirkii, &c.), and
of the Malay Peninsula ( Willughbeia firma, W. pubes-
cens, & c.), all recently introduced. The large tree on
the left of the drive opposite the Hevea trees is *Ficus
asperrima, called "sevana-mediya," the rough leaves
of which are generally used by cabinet-makers for
polishing, like sand-paper in Europe.
The road now curves away from the river to the right,
passing under truly magnificent specimens of the
Guango or rain-tree (Pithecolobium Saman) already
noticed. In strange proximity to this, on the left hand,
are two spindly gum-trees from Queensland-one of
them Eucalyptus citriodora, with sweet-scented leaves.
Very few of the gum-trees can be induced to grow in
the hot and humid climate of Peradeniya, but in the
hills, on coffee estates, &c., numerous species have
been introduced, and at Nuwara Eliya the blackwood
(E. Melanoxylon) and the silver wattle (E. dealbata)
have become very abundant. Some way further on, on
the right (L), the graceful "dun" (*Doona zeyl anica)
should be noticed ; it yields a good resin. ** The next
objects of interest are three gigantic fig trees. The
smallest one near the road is the native *Ficus
Wightiana, the others are Ficus elastica, the same
species as at the entrance. The footpath to the right
passes through an old and now half-abandoned orchard
where are old plants of several tropical fruit-trees, -
as the rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum) of the
Malayan Islands, the sour-sop (Anona muricata), the
Santol (Sandoricum indicum) of Malaya, guavas of
several kinds (Psidium), the sapodilla of Tropical
America (Achras Sapota), the alligator pear (Persea
gratissima), the Niam-niam (Cynometra caulyiora), &c.
A small circular bed (21) is now reached ; the road
round it is shaded by large trees, among which are
the "Liyan" (*Homalium zeylanicum) -an excellent
timber, Clusia rosea of the West Indies, &c. A strik-
ing object here (in N) is a wide climbing liana from
India (Bauhinia anguina), its stems fashioned like a
chain cable.
The footpath leading hence (through K) will take

** There are eleven species of Doona known, all of which occur
in Ceylon only; most of them are growing in the Gardens. The
genus belongs to the natural order Dipterocarpeae, specially
characteristic of the Malayan region as separate from the Indian;
and one of the most remarkable features of the Ceylon flora is
the large number of species of this order found here -48 in all, of
which 46 are peculiar to the Island. Only 17 species occur in
the whole of Peninsular India.

the visitor back to the fernery, and passes several
plants of interest. The Toon, or Red Cedar of India,
Java, and North Australia (Cedrela Toona) gives a
light but excellent furniture wood of a red colour and
scented like cedar, but not resinous. Blighia sapida
is the "Akee" of Western Tropical Africa, carried
thence by the Negroes-who eat the covering of the
seeds-to the West Indies. Notice also the date-plum
of Jamaica (Chrysophyllum oliviforme), a poor fruit.
Some beautiful palms will attract the attention here, of
which the Alexandra, palm of Queensland (Archonto-
phaenix Alexandrae) is as especially graceful as befits
its name, and the Javan Sugar palm (Arenga sacchar-
ifera) is the most handsome.
From the small circle the Plant houses, or rather
sheds, should be visited. Here in pots will be found
plants recently brought in by the collectors from
the jungle, or received from abroad in Wardian cases.
There are also kept here many valuable plants, espe-
cially orchids, aroids, ferns, &c., which, when small and
delicate, are readily lost if planted out on trees or
among the ranker vegetation of the garden. As the
contents of these sheds are constantly changing, it is
not possible to indicate any special plants for notice.
The rockeries (20) close by will reward examination,
being filled with numerous ferns and foliage plants,
aroids, ground-orchids, &C.
The Office, where information can be obtained and
purchases made, is also here.
A shady footpath (through N) takes the visitor back
to the entrance gates (carriages make a short round
by road.) Observe at its entrance the "diya-ratmal"
(*Saraca indica) with its copious masses of sweet-
scented orange-red flowers. The dark evergreen trees
meeting overhead are old nutmegs (Myristica fra-
grans); the well-known fruits are produced here
through nearly all the year, and few objects are prettier
than a ripe one when the yellow leathery rind has
split naturally and half exposed the dark-brow
nutmeg enveloped in the brilliant scarlet meshes of the
"mace." The taller trees are cloves (Eugenia caryo-
phyllata) and Jamaica allspice (Pimenta officinalis),
and one tree of the less known spice called the
Madagascar clove (Ravensara aromatica).
The end of this footpath brings the visitor again to
the palm grove at the entrance first described. On
the right should be especially noticed a fine specimen
of the Amherstia nobilis. This species, already men-
tioned, was introduced in 1860, and is usually in
blossom, but especially profuse of its pendulous
racemes of great bright pink and yellow flowers in
December to March. At the left corner of the path
may be noticed the pretty palm "Dictyosperma
aurea" from Mauritius, and towards the gate another -
well known one-from Queensland, Ptychosperma
(Seaforthia) elegans.

 

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

12 April 1998