Expeditions and other exploration

On 3 September 1977, Dr. H.P. Nooteboom (L) went to Ceylon for 2 months to collect additional material of Symplocaceae for ’A revised Flora of Ceylon’. Although this project was due to end by September 1977, it appeared to have been extended for another year. The genus Symplocos, with about 20 taxa, is found in the wet zone (in the mountains of the central part, in the mossy forest up to 2400 m, descending to sea-level in the everwet primary forest in the SW. part of the island). Some species also occur in the secondary forest in the same region, one species is found in the whole island, in a variety of vegetation types, but mostly in secondary forest and shrubbery. Dr. Nooteboom could collect material of all the taxa, sometimes in many individuals, which revealed the difficult patterns of variability. Besides he made also general collections (Nooteboom 3036—3420). The weather was extremely bad; heavy rains caused inundations and landslides. Therefore the total number of collections was limited. Labelling and distribution is still going on.