OF THE MATTO GROSSO EXPEDITION, 1891-92. 273. 
nummularifolia, H. B. K., clings to the shady trunks of trees, wherefrom hang the 
gorgeous trusses of Cattleya superba, Schomb., the hitherto nearest known habitat 
of which lies hundreds of miles to the north. 
In grassy places one can gather Paspalums, Panicums, Setarias, Lleusine indica, 
Gaertn., Leptochloa domingensis, Trin., and the little new Luziola pusilla, with which 
specimens absolutely identical from Guiana are in the Herbarium at Kew. One may 
complete the list by citing the names of a few lowly dicotyledons, such as Ruella humilis, 
Pohl, with milk-white flowers, Stenandriums, the exceedingly common Scoparia dulcis, 
Linn., Dianthera polygaloides, S. Moore, the peculiar Amazonian Stilpnopappus viridis, 
Benth., Rhodocalyx rotundifolius, Muell. Arg., and the pretty little Desdemona pulchella, 
the type of a new genus of Serophulariace:e. 
The vplorer not having yet succeeded in surmounting the difficulties of navigation 
between Villa Maria and Santa Cruz, an expedition was arranged with the object of 
making its way through the forest to the Serra de Tapirapuan, the geology of which, it 
was thought, might prove interesting. The forest covers a tract of land lying some 
150 feet above the Paraguay. At intervals small streams, most of which run eastward 
into the Brasinho, traverse the line of route, which latter soon becomes a narrow foot-track 
used by the ** poayeros," or gatherers of ipecacuanha. There are no inhabitants except 
during the period of securing the valuable root, which, in this part of Brazil, is the wet 
season. For the accommodation of the poayeros small groups of palm-thatched huts have 
been erected at various points in the forest. As will readily be understood, the obstacles 
to the passage of a mule-train along such a track, ever liable to obliteration by the 
encroachment of vegetation, are by no means slight, and it is owing partly to this that 
my colleetion from the forest-region is not a large one; it was also necessary to hurry 
on our way, as our supply of food was limited. 
To judge from the descriptions of travellers, this forest has many points of resemblance 
with other primeval forests of the country. Trees, supported sometimes on gigantic 
boles, raise their lofty crowns far above the traveller; lianes of various kinds every- 
where interpose to entangle the steps of his mule; tree-aroids may be seen perched far 
beyond his reach ; epiphytic orchids abound. Except for the roar of an occasional storm 
as it sweeps by, the deepest silence prevails—silence broken only now and again by the 
crick-crick of a Cicada. Shafts of light slant through the living canopy to illuminate 
the metallic lines of great Morpho butterflies heavily flopping through the semi-darkness. 
Before you entered the forest, the probability is that the intense heat of the sun was 
mitigated by a fresh breeze, and although the sun's rays cannot penetrate the sylvan 
recesses, the wind also is shut out, and you experience a feeling of oppression in 
consequence. Everywhere you will find the same kinds of shrubby vegetation, vegeta- 
tion specially adapted to flourish in deep shade. Foremost among these shade-loving 
plants are Rubiace:, especially species of Psychotria ; the epiphytic aroids are Anthuriums 
and Monsteras; Peppers are conspicuous from the curious way in which their flower- 
spikes stand out rigidly from their leaves, as if movements of the latter against the flowers 
might cause loss of pollen; the little Peperomia nummularifolia, H. B. K., is everywhere; 
tall Solanums, Tabernemontana bushes bearing white flowers exhaling a strong scent as 
SECOND SERIES.—BOTANY, VOL. IV. 20 
