!1 ' ,
described. He estimates that nearly 200 species and 20 gienera must be added
to the flora. Roughly speaking, there are at present 2417 (*) species belonging
to 764 genera. Thus, the number of species is nearly doubled, since the
publication of A. Henry’s preliminary work.
The present author has long had a desire to publish a flora of Formosa,
accompanied by icones, to be issued yearly in separate numbers, with some
fixed allowance for this special publication, which might be completed in
fifteen years. In 1909, he asked Mr. K. Oshima, the present civil Governer of
Formosa, to consider the matter of the publication. Gwing to his graceous-
ness extended towards the writer, it was agreed that the publication should
be carried on for fifteen years, begining this year. It was decided that the
publication should be executed under the supervision of Mr. S. Miyao, the-
present director of the Bureau of productive industry. The icones will contain
600 plates illustrating nearly all the plants to be found in Formosa, accompanied
by descriptions. This will be issued in separate numbers, each
containing 40 plates yearly for fifteen years.
Thanks to the encouragement and assistance given to the botanical
researches by the Government of Formosa, we now have a fair knowledge
of the flora of this interesting island.
II. General aspect of the vegetation of the island.
In connection with the botanical survey above mentioned, the present
author enjoyed an opportunity to visit the island in 1908, from the coast
through the plain up to the high mountains, and has secured many photographs
showing various features of the vegetation, together with an
extensive collection of plants. He will here endeavour to present some general
aspects of the vegetation from his observations and collections. As such an
attempt has never been made, it would not be superfluous to give some
descriptions of the vegetation.
To mention the literature regarding the vegeta tion of the island,
perhaps the eariest writing is Makay’s « From far Formosa » (‘), where one
chapter is devoted to trees, plants and flowers. Here is given some
photographs illustrating the vegetations. The next one is Peker ing’s
(*) T h e n umb e r is o b ta in e d f rom « E n ume r a t io Pia i i ta rum F o rm o s a u a r um », F lo ra moiitaiia F o r mosa
e , severa l p ap e r s in the T o k y o Botanica l Ma g a z in e , a n d the a u t h o r ’s man u s c r ip t s .
work (•’>) which contains also a few photographs. Then come Fischer’s (6), and
Imbaul t -Huar t ’s R), work. Recently Davidson wrote « The Island of
Formosa » (») where he gives a few accounts about the vegetation of the
island. They are not, however, to be regarded as botanical researches.
The only botanist who ever touched the vegetation is Dr. A. Henry
who gives m his « List of plants from Formosa » (9) some examples of
littoral and mangrove plants, and mentions here that the diversity of
climate has some effect on the distribution of plants in the island. He concludes
that the flora is mainly Chinese in its character and he has seen no
exceptional type of vegetation.
Since his publication the island has been explored for many years and
there have been found some vegetations, peculier to Formosa; such as the
great forests of Chanmcyparys and Trochodendron, the features which may
be regarded as peculiar to the island, though they are also represented in
Japan on a much smaller scale. Some account of vegetation is given in
« Flora montana Formosae » (10) where, however, it is limited to the mountain
vegetation. So practically speaking, there exists no publications
regarding the general aspects of the vegetation. In this chapter, it is
the desire of the author to give some precise accounts about the vegetation
of the island. As space is very limited, the author will t ry to give just a
glimpse of it.
The island of Formosa lying between 22° and 25° north latitude and
between 120° and 122° east longitude, covers an area of nearly 15,000 square
miles. It IS separated from the opposite continent by the Formosan channel.
The sea on the western side of the island is everywhere shallow no deeper
than 100 fathoms, while the ocean on the eastern side of Formosa is enor mously
deep. Towards the north-east the Loo-choo islands like so many
stepping stones stretch themselves between the island and Japan. Southwards
it IS separated by the Bashi channel from the island of Luzon. Topographi cally
Formosa may be divided into two parts, one eastern, the other western.
The eastern part is entirely mountainous districts where several mountain
ranges of almost paleozoic formations ran from north to south rising in peaks
of from 3,000 ft to 13120 ft. The western part is practically a plain of alluvial
formations fur rowed by shallow creeks and rivers, with some small
hills and sandy dunes on the sea shore. In the northern part there are some
volcanic hills no higher than 3000 ft. At Takaw there is a lagoon where a
Mangrove formation many be seen. The same formation exists also in
Kelung, in the nor thern part of the sea shore.
Ill'
:íí;ií2
i: ■
‘i i