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OUTLINE OF PLANT GEOGRAPHY 



Trinidad 



The island of Trinidad while separated from the mainland of 

 South America, nevertheless has a vegetation closely resembling 

 that of the adjacent coast. The wetter lowland forest abounds 

 in palms, aroids, Scitamineae, etc., identical with, or closely 

 related to those of the coastal belt of the Guianas. 



A B 



Fig. 80. — A. Tree with epiphytic ferns, Port of Spain, Trinidad. 

 B. Palm (Attalea sp.), Para River, Surinam. 



The drier hillsides, however, show a quite different vegetation, 

 such as a very common palm (Acrocomia sclerocarpa) , common in 

 Jamaica and other islands of the Antilles. Ferns are decidedly 

 more abundant than in Guiana, although not especially conspic- 

 uous in the lower forest. Two particularly interesting species were 

 noted near Port of Spain, viz: A climbing fern (Lygodium sp.) 

 and Anemia phyllitidis. In the lowland wet forest ferns were more 

 abundant, but much less so than at higher elevations. 



Port of Spain, with its fine botanical garden and attractive 

 parks, offers much of interest to the botanist. There are many 

 species of palms, native and exotic, and splendid specimens of 



