904 7 МВ. Е. F. IM THURN ON THE PLANTS 
which forest, it must be remembered, covers on the other faces of the Roraima slope what 
is here swamp—are full of interesting trees. One with vast numbers of large magnolia- 
like white flowers is Moronobea intermedia, Engler | No. 337], the new species 
already alluded to as very closely allied to a second new species, Jf: Jenmani, Engl., which 
occurs in corresponding circumstances on the Kaieteur savannah. Another abundant 
tree represents an entirely new genus, Crepinella gracilis, Marchal | No. 162]; another isa 
new species of Sciadophyllum (S. coriaceum, March. [No. 128]. Another common, 
and strikingly beautiful, tree is a variety of Byrsonima crassifolia, H. В. К. | No. 130], 
with leaves the under surfaces of which are tinted with so deep and rich a violet as to 
impart a very striking violet shade to the whole tree, even when it is seen from a distance. 
Under the shade of these and the hosts of other trees ground-shrubs and tree-trunks alike 
are swathed in thick green mosses. There, too, but half clinging to the tree-trunks, are 
various species of Psammisia (Nos. 56 & 49], woody-stemmed creepers, the innumerable 
drop-like crimson flowers of which, as they catch the tiny gleams of light striking down 
between the thick leaves of the forest-roof, glow with intense colour. In these shady, 
moss-covered, quiet places stand erect many tree-ferns | Хов. 92, 270, 87, 37] and 
a very beautiful new aroid (Anthurium roraimense, N. E. Brown [No. 2641), its huge 
heart-shaped leaves and large arum-like flowers of purest white carried high on a slender 
but stiff stem. There, too, are innumerable ferns of wonderful interest, and many, but 
not showy, orchids—especially of the latter family, many of those tiniest and most 
delicate species which, if seen under a powerful magnifying-glass, would rival the most 
showy and graceful of their kindred of our hothouses. 
We must now pass to the forest-slope, which, as has been said, consists of three 
fairly distinet belts or zones, whieh I have called respectively, beginning from the 
lowest, the jungle-belt, the bush-belt, and the belt of rock and tree. 
The jungle is most densely interwoven with many tall shrubs or dwarf trees, which 
are yet more closely knit together by vast quantities of. а climbing, straggling bamboo 
(Guadua [№ . 359]), of a eyperaceous plant (Oryptangium stellatum, Boeckl. (Хо. 357], 
with rough, knife-edged leaves and tall, weak stems, which support themselves оп, and 
at the same time densely clothe, the shrubs among which it grows *, and of a gigantie and 
handsome climbing fern ( Gleichenia pubescens, Н. B. К. [ №. 343]. Among the shrubs 
also are two palms: one, in vast quantities, very stout and erect-stemmed, and large- 
leaved, Geonoma Appuniana, Spruce | No. 982]; the other, occurring only in a few scattered 
examples, a Euterpe, probably Ж. edulis, Mart., but, if so, іп a most remarkably 
stunted and dwarfed form. It is worth noting here that, despite the reported specific 
abundance, by Schomburgk and Appun, of palms about Roraima, these are literally the 
only two plants of that Order which I saw on the mountain. Under the shrubs 
forming this jungle the ground was everywhere swathed with mosses, closely inter- 
mingled with innumerable ferns, especially filmy ferns; and this mossy covering 
reached up over the tree-stems and branches everywhere but where the sunlight 
fell. Under the shade of these shrubs, in the darkness and damp, grew various 
* This is also a Kaieteur plant, 
