236 



PUOCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY. 



TABLE II. — continued. 



Scalesia Darwinii 

 (lecurrens 

 divisa . . . 

 gummifera . 

 Helleri . . 

 Hopkinsii 

 incisa . . . 

 microcepliala 

 narbonensis . 

 ovata . . . 

 pedunculata . 

 retroflexa 

 Snodgrassii . 

 n. sp. "? . . 



Ronclms oleraceus 



Spilanthes Acniella 

 diffusa 



Tasretes erecta . . 



o iW 



General Features of the Flora. 



The habital traits of the vegetation on the Galapagos Islands have been 

 graphically although rather gloomily pictured by Darwin (2), 140, and 

 by Wolf (1), 277. A. Agassiz (1), 57-G2, and Baur, who visited the 

 islands at a more favorable season, describe the flora as somewhat more 

 luxuriant. The lower slopes of all the islands, however, are relatively 

 sterile, arid, and rough, much of the surface being covered with irregular 

 blocks of lava. The air, although not excessively hot, is very dry. 

 Trade winds are said to be moderate in force, but almost constant. 

 The perennial vegetation of these lower parts of the islands is predomi- 

 natingly of a small-leaved xerophytic type, being composed of scattered 

 and often sparse, stenimy shrubs and undershrubs, or wiry herbs and 

 grasses, over which rise the bulky and grotesque trunks of arborescent 

 species of Cereus and Opuntia. On those islands, which, like Gardner, 

 Hood, Tower, and Bindloe, are entirely low, not attainiiig an altitude 

 of oUO ra., this is the only kind of perennial vegetation, except a few 

 halopliytes along the shores. On the higher islands, however, like 

 Albemarle, Charles, Chatham, Jam^s, and Indefatigable, the upper parts 



