The Delta of the Parana 171 



who from the stores of his botanical knowledge brought 

 forth much for my information, and was able to answer 

 the questions which were prompted at every turn by the 

 vegetation upon the banks. He drew my attention to 

 the fact that on the sides of the canals there were vast 

 masses of a Japanese honeysuckle, which has escaped 

 from cultivation and become a veritable weed, covering 

 large areas and suffocating all other growths. The 

 commonest plants representing the primitive flora of 

 the region are Senecio bonariensis, Eryngium panicula- 

 tum, and Solanum bonariense. The Senecio grows 

 abundantly in the marshes and sends up a cluster of 

 large dock-like leaves from the center of which a stem 

 from six to eight feet in height shoots up, surmounted 

 by a great loose spike of white blossoms. The Eryn- 

 gium has leaves which somewhat resemble those of the 

 century-plant, but much thinner, not more than two 

 inches thick at the base, and relatively longer, as much 

 as four or five feet in length, with the edges protected by 

 prickly serrations. It grows in great tangles upon the 

 sides of the streams, forming almost impenetrable 

 thickets. I could scarcely bring myself to believe at 

 first that this plant, so closely resembling the agave 

 in the form of its foliage, belongs to the Umbelliferce. 

 However, at our first landing-place my botanical friend 

 speedily dispelled my doubts. He pulled off one of the 

 leaves of the plant, and bade me smell its broken end. 

 I at once recognized the familiar carroty odor of the 

 umbel-bearing plants. The Eryngium unfortunately 

 was not in blossom. The Solanum, which is a scandent 

 or climbing species, was in flower, and displayed great 

 masses of white bloom as it trailed over everything 

 within reach. Occasionally we saw palms, but they 

 were not numerous, and their proximity to dwellings 



