Chap. IV] TROPICAL DISTRICTS CONSTANTLY MOIST 299 



glossum, Lepisanthes, Cupania, Euphoria), Meliaceae (Aglaia, Heynea), Anacardiaceae 

 (Drimycarpus, Semecarpus), Myrsinaceae (Maesa, Ardisia), Urticaceae (Celtis), 

 Moraceae (Ficus), Leguminosae (Millettia, Erythrina, Dalbergia), Myrtaceae 

 1 Eugenia), Melastomaceae (Memecylon), Anonaceae (Cyathocalyx, Goniothalamus, 

 Saccopetalum), Cupuliferae (Castanopsis), Diospyraceae (Gunisanthus, Diospyros), 

 Guttiferae (Garcinia), Ternstroemiaceae (Eurya), Tiliaceae (Grewia), Rutaceae 

 (Zanthoxylum, Glycosmis, Murraya), Simarubaceae (Picrosma), Ochnaceae (Ochnai, 

 Ilicineae (Ilex), Celastraceae (Euonymus), Verbenaceae (Vitex), Myristicaceae 

 (Myristica), and many others. Various palms, bamboos, and Pandanus furcatus also 

 belong to this tier. 



Among lianes appear Malvaceae (Hibiscus), Combretaceae (llligera, Calycopteris), 

 Anonaceae (Artabotrys), Leguminosae (Dalbergia, Acacia, Bauhinia), Rhamnaceae 

 (Colubrina, Zizyphus, Gouania, Ventilago), Araceae (Pothos, Scindapsus), Ranuncu- 

 laceae (Naravelia), Acanthaceae (Thunbergia), Convolvulaceae (Porana), Orchidaceae 

 (Vanilla), Oleaceae (Jasminum), Menispermaceae (Tinospora), Rubiaceae (Ancistro- 

 cladus, Uncaria), Vitaceae (several species of Vitis), Palmae (three or four species of 

 Calamus), and many others. 



Among erect shrubs appear Violaceae (Alsodeia), Rubiaceae (Mussaenda, Morinda, 

 Ixora), Urticaceae (Boehmeria), Verbenaceae (Clerodendron), Anonaceae (Unona), 

 Capparidaceae (Capparis), Myrsinaceae (Maesa, Ardisia), Diospyraceae (Diospyros), 

 Connaraceae (Connarus), and many others. 



Herbaceous plants are scanty. In the dense parts of the forest the soil is covered 

 only with decaying leaves, stems of trees, and other debris ; in lighter places, how- 

 ever, numerous individuals of species of Strobilanthus and other Acanthaceae, 

 some Aristolochiaceae (Bragantia), Urticaceae (Elatostema\ Piperaceae (Piper), 

 Rubiaceae, Araceae, Liliaceae (Dracaena, Dianella), Commelinaceae (Pollia), a few 

 Cyperaceae and Gramineae, many Scitamineae, and still more ferns. The trees 

 support on their trunks and branches, as epiphytes, Orchidaceae, Cyrtandreae. 



Mosses are in general very poorly represented except as epiphyllous plants, in 

 which state they are plentiful. 



Lichens occur on bamboos and on the top branches of the trees. 



Fungi are numerous, in particular during the rains. 



Some Algae (Chroolepus, Scytonema) occur as epiphytes on stems and leaves. 



The open evergreen forest largely agrees with the closed forest as regards the com- 

 position of its flora, but is considerably poorer in forms. There are only three or 

 four tiers of vegetation, and but few lianes and epiphytes occur, so that this forest is 

 less impenetrable. 



iv. TROPICAL RAIN-FOREST IN AFRICA. 



The description of the West African rain-forest on the Loango coast 

 given by Pechuel-Losche is picturesque rather than scientific ; yet it affords 

 a vivid picture of the physiognomy of the West African forest (Fig. 140). 



• In its fullest development it prevails over the mountain heights, slopes, and 

 valleys, as well as over the plains along many water-courses ; in particular it lends 

 incomparable beauty to the banks of the Kuilu river, which are composed of very 

 fertile alluvial land. It is equal to the grandest forests that I have marvelled at in 



