No. 2.] MATTHEW — IMPRESSIONS OF CUBA. 83 



surface. Two plants of the family Bromeliaceoe are of great value 

 to the Cuban husbandmao, viz. the Rat-pine, used in hedging, 

 and the well known Pine- apple. Creepers (Ipomcea) everywhere 

 deck the hedges, and fill the air with their perfume. The 

 Mallow family (^Malvacece) and other allied groups, with mucila- 

 ginous foliage and flowers, are largely represented, and include the 

 loftiest forms of forest growth, as well as plants notable for their 

 economic worth. The immense order of composite plants, though 

 only herbs with us, rise in Cuba to the dignity of shrubs, and pre- 

 sent many curious forms. Veroniacece and Uupatoriacece prevail 

 to a greater extent than in Eastern Canada ; while the AsteroidecE 

 are not nearly so abundant. Indeed I met no representatives 

 whatever of the genera Asier and SoUdago, of which so many 

 forms and such countless numbers of individuals deck our fields 

 and waste-lands in autumn. So also the thistle division 

 (Cynarece) of this order seems scarce or wanting. The order 

 Euphorhiaceoe, insignificant herbs at the north, includes shrubs, 

 as well as herbs, of great economical importance. In this group 

 the Cubans find plants from which they obtain oil, medicine, 

 farinaceous food and other products. Among the families of 

 tropical plants known^to us only by their fruits, may be mentioned 

 the AnonacecM, producing the Sweet-sop and Sour-sop ; the Orange 

 family (^Aurantiacece) , wherein are the Orange, Lime, Lemon and 

 Shaddock ; the Myrtle family (^Myrtacem) which supplies to the 

 Cuban his Guava and Pomgranate ; other families giving him the 

 Star-apple, the Avocado pear, and the curious melon-like Papaw. 

 Two plants of the Chincona family, namely the Coffee Tree and 

 Indian Mulberry, are not uncommon in waste places. Our beau- 

 tiful but nauseous Lobelias are fitly personated by one species of 

 terrible potency — if the anecdotes of the Creoles are to be relied 

 upon — in the beautiful, but deadly Isotoma. The Bignouia 

 family has trees which, when in bloom, are the glory of the Cuban 

 forests and shrubberies, and, in fruit, bear arcuate pod-like seed 

 vessels, sometimes of great length. The ornamental family to 

 which the jEa7ithus belongs has several representatives in Cuba; 

 and the allied group of Figwort (^Scrophulariacece) is also present ; 

 but many of the genera in this large order, with which we are 

 familiar, are wanting. Among the species of the useful and 

 aromatic Mint family (Lahaiatce) , but few northern genera are 

 to be met with ; but the allied family of Verhenacece is repre- 

 sented in the Lantanas. In the several species of Heliotropium 



