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Untitled - The Alfred Russel Wallace Website

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IN THE CINCHONA FORESTS 281<br />

the other a beautiful arbuscle, seen only in the valley of San<br />

Antonio, where it grows from the very plain up to 2600 feet.<br />

<strong>The</strong> slender stems, of from 8 to 14 feet, are usually simple and<br />

arched, and the large white flowers grow in small pendulous<br />

corymbs from the axils of very large, elongate, glaucous leaves. . . .<br />

Crudferce, 2. Apparently species of Sisymbrium, the one<br />

growing near streams, the other in open situations ; both in very<br />

small quantity. . . .<br />

Capparidacece. <strong>The</strong> only species observed was a Cleome, a<br />

genus which extends from the plain to a great height on the<br />

wooded hills.<br />

Sterculiacea. A raft-wood tree, Ochroma, is pretty abundant.<br />

Another tree of the same order (not seen in flower) appears to be<br />

a Chorisia.<br />

Biittneriacea, i. A rampant Melochia. Muntingia Calaburii,<br />

a tree found in the plains on both sides of the Cordillera, grows<br />

abundantly by the Rio San Antonio, up to 2500 feet.<br />

Malvacetz, 2. Four or five common weeds, whereof Sida<br />

glomerata, Cav., is the most of this order.<br />

plentiful, comprise all that was seen<br />

Tiliacecc, i. A very handsome tree, with a slender straight<br />

trunk, reaching 60 feet, very long branches, large, ligulate, serrated,<br />

distichous leaves, and terminal panicles (sometimes 4 feet long)<br />

of yellow flowers, scented like those of Tilia Eurofcca ; it is<br />

abundant and ornamental about the middle region of the Red<br />

Bark. Besides this tree, another of the same order (apparently<br />

a Heliocarpus), growing to about 30 feet, is also frequent. .<br />

. .<br />

/'ii/v^(i/(.'(>\ 2. A Monnina and Palygala paniculate, L. . . .<br />

<strong>The</strong> Polygala of the Bark woods is the common and almost the<br />

only species of the equatorial Andes, on whose western slopes it<br />

descends to the plain, and does not seem to ascend higher than 7000<br />

feet on either side, nor is it abundant at any elevation. When<br />

I recollect the abundance of Polygala ntl^aris on cold English<br />

moors, I am struck with this paucity of Polygala; in the Andes,<br />

and still more when I it compare with their abundance and<br />

variety on hot savannas of the Orinoco, and in hollows of<br />

granite rocks by the Atabapo.<br />

.SVyVW; ?

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