268 



MR. E. F. IM THURN ON THE PLANTS 



stems, with pretty star-like yellow flowers. Lastly, I found a plant with a flower which, 



because of its form and colour, I at first sight mistook for a fritillary, like our " Snake's- 



head " (F. meleagris) ; but it was a new Lisianthiis, which Professor Oliver has named 



L. imThurniamis, Oliv., n. sp. [No. 306]. There grew many small but pretty and 



bright-coloured orchids — two new species of Fpidendrum (E. montigenum, Ridley, n. sp. 



[No. 322], and another [No. 304]); also a plant of a new genus of Cryptangiese named by 



Mr. Ridley Everardia (F. montana, Ridley [No. 335]). 



So the vegetation of the ledge continued to the top, and indeed actually extended 



over the top (woodcut, fig. 3). 



Fig. 3. 



View at the point of entrance of the plateau on the top of Roraima. 



The general effect of the vegetation of Roraima, fitly rivalling in this respect the 



marvellously strange geological aspect of the place, is so strange as to be very difficult of 



precise description. It occupies more or less wide tracts, generally almost level, 



between the bare flat rocks and the groups of piled rocks which occupy the greater part 



of the plateau. In such places it forms a dense carpet of vegetation, which is generally 



but a few inches, never more than a couple of feet, in height, except where, from 



its general level, rise a few scattered individuals of the one shrub of any conspicuous 



height, Bonnetia Foraimce, Oliv., n. sp. [No. 330] — and that was never more than 



from 30 to 40 inches in height — or the many and very remarkable flower-stems of 



Abolboda Sceptrvm, Oliv. [No. 312], which, to my great delight, at that height still 



bore its beautiful blooms, the appearance of which I have already described. Through 



this carpet of vegetation ran many small streams ; and even in other places much water 



everywhere saturated the turf. A very few small plants also grew in the crevices of the 



piledrocks, which otherwise were bare of vegetation. 



