Stewart — Botanical Conditions pn the Galapagos Islands. 317 



Zanthoxylum Fagara, the first and last of which occur near the 

 shore as bushes. The trees are often covered with a hea\'y growth 

 of Cisampelos Pareira, which usually put down large numbers of 

 aerial roots, forming tangled masses, rendering traveling dif- 

 ficult. Projecting ridges of lava occur in some places in this 

 region, which are usually covered with dense mats of Polypo- 

 dium squamatum, ands such herbaceous plants as Peperomia gali- 

 oides, P. galapagensis, P. Stewarti, and other forms. The trunks 

 and branches of many ^f the trees, especially those of Pisonia 

 floribunda, are heavily covered with epiphytic plants such spe- 

 cies as: Asplenium sulcatum, lonopsis utricularioides, Lycopo- 

 dium dichotomum, Polypodium lanceolatum, P. lepidopteris, 

 Peperomia galapagensis, and Tillandsia insularis being the most 

 common. Phoradendron Henslovii also occurs in this region 

 and higher up, but it grows much larger than it does lower down. 

 Owing to the dense shade tliere are fewer bushes, but more herb- 

 aceous forms than at a lower altitude. Ferns are also common. 

 The region above an elevation of 500 ft. on this side of the is- 

 land consists of two distinct parts as far as the vegetation is 

 concerned. The country immediately north of Academy Bay, 

 above this elevation, is covered with dense forests which extend- 

 to wards the east side of the island. In some places north of 

 Academy Bay these forests probably begin a little lower down, 

 but farther east they evidently begin somewhat higher, as they 

 were not encountered at an elevation of 650 ft. when the south- 

 east side of the island was visited. It might be said in this con- 

 nection, that all of the botanical regions gradually ascend to- 

 wards the east side of the island here, a condition which can be 

 readily seen from the shore by the difference in color of the dif- 

 ferent regions. The forests, just mentioned, were not visited 

 but from their appearance they must be made up largely of trees 

 of Scalesia pednculata, and other species common in the Scalesia 

 forests of these islands. Northwest of Academy Bay there are 

 extensive areas covered with bushes on which there is a heavy 

 growth of Argyreia tiliaefolia and other vines. The vegetation 

 in this region was denser than in any other place visited upon 

 the islands. Traveling was very slow and difficult here it being 

 necessary at times to lift one member of the party up and let him 

 fall at full length into the bushes and other vegetation in order 

 to mash them down, for it was almost impossible to cut one's 

 way through this vegetation, loaded down with water and food 



