OBSERVED DURING THE RORAIMA EXPEDITION. 263 
velvety in texture, and of various shades of one colour, the colour of sunlight as it falls 
through green young beech-leaves; the beautiful Zygopetalum Burkeii, Reichb.f.[ Хо. 50]*, 
with flowers seeming like gigantic, pale-coloured “ bee orchises " (Ophrys apifera, Huds.), 
but far sweeter in scent ; in great abundance the rosy-flowered Pogonia parviflora, Reichb. f. 
(Хо. 115], which recalls in habit our English wild tulip (Тийра sylvestris, L.); апа, to 
mention but one more among many, Epidendrum elongatum, Jacq. | No. 42], its stems 
varying in height from one to eight feet, its verbena-like clusters of flowers varying in 
colour in different plants, some pale yellow, some fawn-colour, many pure rich pink, dark 
purple, and even mauve. ‘This last-mentioned orchid, it may be noted in passing, is 
one of a group to which I shall presently refer. 
The effect of the whole is as of an Alpine meadow, coloured in early summer by 
innumerable flowers of the brightest and most varied tints. : 
If this tall vegetation be anywhere parted by the hand of the curious traveller, under- 
neath it is seen a carpet of other, low-growing, plants—Pepalanthus Schomburgkii 
(Хо. 33] and Р. flavescens, Kórw. | Хо. 60], Drosera communis, A. St.-Hil. ? | Хо. 313], 
a pretty little orchid, Spiranthes bifida, Ridley [Хо. 842), ferns, Lycopodiums, and 
sphagnum-like mosses. 
One, perhaps the most remarkable, plant of the swamp has not yet been noticed. It is 
the South-American Pitcher-plant, Heliamphora nutans, Benth. | №. 258], which grows 
in wide-spreading, very dense tufts in the wettest places, but where the grass happens not 
to be long. Its red-veined pitcher-leaves, its delicate white flowers raised high on red- 
tinted stems, its sturdy habit of growth, make it a pretty little picture wherever it grows. 
But it attains its full size and best development, not down here in this swamp, but up on 
the ledges on the cliff of Roraima, and even on the top. 
The vegetation of the drier, rocky patches is very different. A few shrubs of from four 
to eight feet in height, a very few stunted and gnarled trees are there, a few single speci- 
mens of the one Roraima palm (Geonoma Appuniana), which, as will presently be told, is 
much more abundant higher up; but more abundant are very dwarf shrubs of curiously 
Alpine aspect, such as Gaultheria cordifolia, Н. В. К. [ Хо. 103], and various trailing 
plants, such as a blackberry (Rubus guianensis, Focke | Хо. 106]), а passion-flower 
Хо. 110], and a few orchids and ferns. 
Of the orchids the most noteworthy is Oncidium nigratum, Lindl. [№ о. 114], its 
delicately thin, but wiry and much-branched stems, five feet high or more, seeming to float 
in the air a crowd of innumerable, tiny, butterfly-like flowers of cream-colour and black ; 
but two others (Zygopetalum Вигкей and Epidendrum elongatum), which we have already 
scen in rank luxuriance in the wetter parts of the swamp, grow also on these drier parts, 
but are here much reduced in general habit, though with larger and brighter-coloured 
flowers. Of the ferns the most striking are a beautifully delicately cut Schizea (S. dicho- 
toma, Sw. (Хо. 100]) and a very remarkable Gymnogramme (С. elaphoglossoides, Baker, 
[Nos. 101 & 215]), of which more hereafter. 
Again, the tiny coppices which are on the swamp and the forest which bounds it— 
+ This is represented on the Organ Mountains by 2. Mackaii, Hook. 
