THE FLORA OE SOUTH MEXICO. 147 



edly produced a rich harvest of maize ; and here, too, the juicy aromatic fruit of Anona 

 cherimolia reaches great perfection. Sapindacese are only represented by Lacepedea 

 pinnata. The climate also suits such fruit-trees as the apple, pear, peach, apricot, 

 pomegranate, granadilla, citron, and orange. A Juglans grows wild in the ravines 

 near Coscomatepec, and has also been planted in the town itself. Yucca gloriosa, 

 Crataegus pubescens, Sambucus bipinnata, Clethra tinifolia, Persea gratissima, and a 

 species of Cornus occur most frequently ; and Convolvuli, brambles, and wild vines take 

 the place occupied by Smilax, Cissus, Paullinia, Serjania, Cucurbitacese, Apocynacese, 

 Asclepiadese, Passifloreae, Bignoniaceae, and Leguminosae Scandentes in more tropical 

 regions. 



On the eastern slopes of the Cordilleras of Mexico palms reach an altitude of 5000 

 feet ; on the highlands of the interior the genera Corypha and Chamcerops * extend to 

 8000 feet, while splendid [cultivated] date-palms grow round Tehuacan de las Granadas 

 at 5500 feet, and in the valley of Mexico at 7700 feet. Even the cocoa-nut palm, usually 

 regarded as littoral, succeeds so well on the Hacienda Cocoyota, in the plain of Amilpas, 

 at 3000 feet, that its fruit is considered the best in the market. The vertical limits of 

 tree-ferns are approximately from 2500 to 5000 feet, while figs predominate and grow to a 

 colossal size in the tropical woods of the coast. The numerous arboreous Myrtaceae 

 are found chiefly between 500 and 1500 feet, though isolated specimens of Pimenta 

 officinalis, which is very abundant in the lower forests, occur at 3000 feet, and a few 

 shrubby members of the order were observed at 4800 feet. With regard to the distri- 

 bution of the Laurineae, it is impossible to assign them to any definable region, as 

 they extend from the coast to an altitude of 11,000 feet. 



From Alpatlahua, which is the highest limit of Mimosa sensitiva, to 8000 feet the 

 woods are composed almost entirely of oaks, associated with which are Lacepedea pinnata, 

 Ulmus meodcana, Clethra tinifolia, a magnolia-like Aralia, and an arboreous Lippia ; 

 while under these trees grow bushes of Cornus toluccensis, Viburnum, Triumfetta, several 

 species of Rubus, a yellow climbing Composite, vines, Cuscutajalapensis, and iedJBo?narea. 

 Maize is- sown on the open ground, alternating in other seasons with a thick bush of 

 Cassia, red Mimosa, Triumfetta, with five distinct Convolvuli and Ipomcea climbing 

 over them. Prominent low-growing plants are species of Salvia, Dahlia, Phyllanthus, 

 Anoda, Iresine, Hypericum, Lycopodium, Desmodium, a Stevia, Euphorbia, Lobelia 

 jalapensis, Lopezia hirsuta, Oxalis, various species of Geranium, Cuphea, Thalictrum, 

 Ranunculus, Melastomaceae, Lrymaria, Erythrcea, and a number of genera of Gramineae 



* These names were written before the genera of palms had been reduced to their present limits, and 

 Liebmann could not at the time have been acquainted with Martius's ' Historia Palmarum,' for neither Corypha 

 nor Chamcerops is represented in America. What was really intended is a little uncertain, though probably 

 Brahea and Chamcedorea. Eor many other antiquated or erroneous names we have been able to substitute 

 the correct ones, by referring to Liebmann's collections. On the other hand, several names published by 

 Liebmann without descriptions we have cancelled, though a few may have been overlooked. 



u2 



