OF WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA. 15 



Tllaxtiieraperiiviais'a, J/b^. l.c.,Yar. decumbens. This differs 

 from the type specimens only in having the numerous short 

 branches that issue from the woody rootstock j)rostrate instead of 

 erect. The species appears to be confined to the arid coast-region 

 of Peru. Cuming's specimen in Herb. Kew. is said to come 

 from Lima, and specimens from Secmann and Spruce in the same 

 herbarium were both collected in the desert of Piura. 



EupnoRBiACEAiiUM, sp. ? Two or three plants without flower or 

 fruit, with leaves much like those of Buddleia incana^ Ruiz & Pav., 

 were seen growing on the bare stony plateau. I was told that the 

 local name is Sajyote^ tliat the plant is considered poisonous, and 

 that cattle, thougli eagerly devouring almost any green thing, will 

 not eat the leaves or the fruit. 



This meagre collection gives somew^hat negative results. Of 

 the twelve species seen two are indeterminable. Of the remaining 

 ten species four are, so far as we know, confined to North Peru 

 or its immediate neighbourhood, each having a maximum range 

 of about ten degrees of latitude. Three other species that are 

 confined to tlie Pacific coast have a much wider range, and two of 

 tliese, at least, are nearly allied to plants inhabiting South Cali- 

 fornia, Arizona, or New Mexico. ^Finally, three species are 

 plants that range wadely through tropical America and extend to 

 the Atlantic coast. 



A botanist who may be fortunate enough to visit Payta soon 

 after one of the rare recurrences of abundant rain wovild doubtless 

 find numerous annuals, of which none were seen by me, and his 

 collections would probably throw a fresh light on the conditions 



of vegetable life in tliis region. 



There is little worth recording respecting the other places 

 which I w^as able to visit on the coast of Peru. 



The flora of Lima and its immediate vicinity is pretty well 

 known, as most botanists who have visited Peru hare spent some 

 time at the capital. Aided by the local knowledge of Mr. Nation, 

 a resident at Lima (who, amidst many difficulties, has pursued the 

 study of natural history), but at the least favourable season, I was 

 able, in the course of three short excursions, to collect 101 sj)ecics 

 of flowering plants, chiefly in the gravelly bed of the Rimac or 

 along the irrigation cliannels which alone render cultivation pos- 

 sible in this arid region. 



