THE ELOKA OF SOUTH MEXICO. 149 



to 8500, and Monnina jalapensis up to 9000 feet. At 8800 feet a tree-like grass 

 grows high into the laurel trees ; the maize-fields are bordered with Rubus, Salvia, 

 Chenopodium ambrosioides, Hypericum, and twining Sicyos ; and at 9000 feet appears the 

 gigantic Abies religiosa, which often attains a height of 200 feet. 



The Vaqueria del Jacal, at 10,000 feet, is the highest point of the Eastern Cordilleras, 

 and is surrounded by pine-woods and barley-fields, in which grow Chrysanthemum segetum, 

 Achillea millefolium, Plantago mexicana, Tagetes clandestina, several species of Phy- 

 salis, and Solatium stoloniferum ; and two species of willow, resembling Salix caprea 

 and S. purpurea, are met with in the pine-woods. Shrubby vegetation is represented by 

 a Viburnum, a Cornus, a Litsea, several Eupatoria, Baccharis jalapensis, Gaultheria 

 ciliata, Arctostaphylos pungens, a low Bubus, and a Euphorbia, while of herbaceous 

 plants there are Chelone gentianoides, Castilleja integrifolia and scorzonerifolia, Lupinus 

 leptophyllus and vaginatus, a splendid red Lamourouxia, Tigridia pavonia, Verbena 

 jpulchella, three species of Salvia, two of Stachys, Dahlia variabilis, a blue Mentha, 

 Ranunculus hoolceri, and R. llaveanus, numerous species of Eupatorium, Senecio, Stevia, 

 Bidens, and Potentilla, a Phacelia, Convallaria, Oxalis latifolia, and Lopezia hirsuta, a 

 Gaura, Hypochwris, terrestrial orchids, such as Spiranthes, Qovenia, Serapias, various 

 asters, Iridese, Geranium mexicanum, and several Gnaphalia. Other prominent plants 

 are Alchemilla venusta, A. vulcanica, A. hirsuta, and A. sibbaldicefolia, Veronica serpyl- 

 lifolia, Cnicus jorullensis, Verbena caroliniana, Accena elongata, Prunella vulgaris, a 

 Swertia, Pteris aquilina, Arenaria decussata, several Cerastia, Trifolium amabile, Hie- 

 racium abscissum and H. mexicanum, Fragaria mexicana, a Biodia, Pimpinella, Chwro- 

 phyllum, JEgopodium, Baucus montanus, a Melampodium, a Composite near Tussilago, 

 several Urticacese, and a Galium. Of Graminese and Cyperaceae &c. the genera Bromus, 

 Festuca, Beyeuxia, Triodia, Agrostis, Poa, Luzula, and Carex are found ; while 

 Hypnum tamariscinum and H. delicatulum carpet the ground as in European pine-woods. 

 On the trees grow an epiphytal Echeveria, various species of Piper and Tillandsia, a 

 Phoradendron, a Polypodium, Cornicularia bicolor, Evernia, and Ramalina, Usneaflorida, 

 Parmelim and Lecidece, Hypnum, Webera, Bryum, and Tortula. Along the streams the 

 only Mexican Calceolaria, Mimulus glabratus, Epilobium repens, Aster rivularis, a 

 violet, an TJrtica, Aspidium jilix-mas, Sanicula liberta, Hydrocotyle mexicana, Nastur- 

 tium impatiens, and numerous Peltigera?, Stictew, &c. On the steep dry cliffs the prin- 

 cipal vegetation consists of Echeveria mucronata and other species, an Agave, a Sedum, 

 a Parietaria, ferns of the genera Acrostichum, Asplenium, Aspidium, Notolcena, 

 Cheilanthes, Polypodium, and Adiantum ; two species of Pinguicula, an Arenaria, 

 like the Alpine A. setacea ; several low Composites of the genera Stevia, Senecio, and 

 Baccharis, a Stereocaulon, a Bartramia, and, finally, a species of Gentiana and a broad- 

 leaved Valeriana. 



The richest vegetation exists in the ravines. In the Jamapu Eavine, at 9500 feet, 

 forests of bamboo (Arundinaria), twenty-five feet high, were passed, which was the more 



