DR. R. SPRUCE OS EQTJATORIAL-AMERICAJ^ PALMS. 71 



into the plain) begin witli a vast thickness of soft and apparently 

 very recent alluvial rock overlying micaceous schists and trachyte. 

 In the plain at their base there is much red loam — at first ridged 

 and furrowed from north to south, but soon subsiding into a 

 nearly uniform level*. 



[It 



Mid 



the 4th to the Granite, and the 5th and 6th to the Subandine 



Eegion.] 



Each of these regions has apparently several species of palms 

 peculiar to it, some of them so abundant as to impress a special 

 character on the forests of the whole region ; but I can only 



mention here a few of the most striking and best-ascertained 

 species. 



§ 2. Palms of the Coast-Eegion, 



The CoasUBegion has, of peculiar species, first and foremost the 

 strange-looking Manicaria saccifera^ which at a distance more re- 

 sembles a plantain become rigid and woody than any palm, having 

 immense simple leaves — each a ready-made tile that reaches from 

 ridge to eaves. Quite as remarkable are the large, corky, tessellated 

 and cchinate tricoccous fruits. This palm, called " Bussu " by the 

 Brazilians, is common all about the mouth of the Amazon 

 within the influence of tides and sea-breezes, also on some parts 

 of the coast of Guayana ; and it is said to be the " Palma-pinus 

 maritima, barbadensis et jamaicensis " of Plukenet. 



Another palm confined to the same region is the " Jupati " 

 (^Raphia tccdigcra^ Mart.), the only seal g 'fruited palm of America 

 that has pinnate leaves^ all the others having fan-shaped leaves; 

 while all the scaly fruited palms of Asia and Africa have pinnate 

 leaves. It has actually two African congeners — a rare case among 

 American palms, apparently pointing it out as a relic of some very 

 ancient connexion between the Old World and the !N^ew. The 

 leaves of the Jupati are among the very longest known of any 

 plant, being 40 and even 50 feet in length. 



I shall mention only one other characteristic Coast-palm, the 

 "Mucaja" (^Acrocomia sclerocarpa), a prickly species with edible 

 but dryish drupes, which is not uncommon near Para, but whcre- 

 ever it is met with further inland appears to have been planted ; 



I have materials for very much enlarging this meagre sketch of the mine- 

 ralogy of Amazonland ; but it is not necessary for zny present purpose. 



