MAUTIUS ON THE UOTANY OV BKAZIL. 35 



and, during the dry months, the leaves are deciduous, on 

 which account they are called in the language of the Brazils, 

 light forests (Caa-tinga.) What is extraordinary, if no rain 

 falls, they can remain for many years without producing 

 foliage, but when at last the showers descend, in the course 

 of forty-eight hours they are clothed with the most delicate 

 and tender green. Many plants of this Flora have the flowers 

 produced before the leaves, or during the time of the burst- 

 ing of the foliage, and many do not ripen their fruit till after 

 they have again dropped their foliage. It is in this district 

 that so many Cactea are seen : while the general vegetation 

 is distinguished by the tenderness of fibre, rigidity of the 

 leaves, the presence of hairs, stings or prickles, smaller 

 flowers, thicker and frequently milky juice. The pastures 

 differ from those of the mining district, in that they exhibit 

 a bright green, more delicate and smoother herbs, and Gra- 

 mine<s with more pliant leaves. The Brazilians call them 

 Campos mimosas, in contradistinction to the Campos agrestes of 

 the Minas Geraes. Hitherto the individuals of this form of 

 vegetation have been less known than the others. Dr Pohl 

 has however placed numerous species from this district in 

 the Imperial Herbarium at Vienna, (and we may add, that 

 Mr Gardner has recently formed a very rich herbarium there. 

 — Ed.) Martius designates the plants of this district as 

 Hamadryades. 



V, Regio Calido-humida. — Northerly from the province 

 of Ciara the country declines down towards the great plain 

 of the Amazonian River. The mountains, which are exceed- 

 ingly curious in structure, and are deeply covered with vege- 

 table soil (Dammerde), consist principally of sandstone. A 

 vast abundance of springs, numerous streams, rivers and 

 lakes, very frequent rains continuing to fall through the 

 greater portion of the year, and moisture during the latter 

 part of it, brought by the winds from the Atlantic Ocean, ail 

 here unite in producing the greatest vigour and luxuriance 

 of the vegetable growth. Dry situations are scarcely to be 

 met with, except on the sides of some of the low hills in the 



