The Sierra Maestra. 27 1 



of Cereus and of colonies of Opuntia are suggestive of the effects 

 of the wind shield. 



One of the typical features of this country is its river system. 

 At the time of our visit all the rivers flowed under ground for the 

 last one or two miles, the delta spreading out so that a river valley, 

 a mile or more across at its mouth, would be formed. The various 

 branches of the stream had cut out what, during the rains, would 

 be islands, but at this season were only patches of land intersected 

 by the stony river-beds. From the lack of shade or from the ster- 

 ility of the soil, or from both causes, these restricted areas were 

 almost truly xerophytic in character. Here about the only trees 

 are one or two species of Plumiera, interspersed among a consider- 

 able variety of prostrate shrubs and low herbs. 



In an attempted ascent of the Guama river many interesting 

 species were found. As soon as the river narrows down and the 

 banks become very steep, the country takes on an entirely different 

 aspect. Although the slopes are well wooded, the trees are mostly 

 of smaller size than on the bottoms in front, the predominating 

 species being the small Oxandra virgata, a Calyptranthes, Spondias 

 lutea, a Cecropia, and a fair sprinkling of Swietenia Mahagoni and 

 Cedrela odorata, and many other tree species are found, but the 

 most interesting is Carpodiptera cubensis, this being a re-discovery 

 since its first collection during the explorations of Wright about 

 1866. 



The lack of any considerable shrubbery and herbaceous under- 

 growth on the slopes was very marked at this point, as at nearly 

 all places we visited that were in the lee of the Maestra. At this 

 time (September) the ground was covered with a carpet of dried 

 leaves, and this dryness, together with the dense shade, must be held 

 accountable for the lack of herbaceous plants. About the common- 

 est were the two grasses Pharus latif alius and Oplismenus hirtel- 

 lus,* and also numerous clumps of Renealmea occidentalis. At this 

 point large numbers of the thorny Pisonia aculeata and the grass 

 Arthrostylidium were seen and they were found subsequently 

 throughout the region, the former being very noticeable on account 

 of the obstruction that its armature makes to all who are trying to 

 get through the "bush." 



*For the determination of these and other grasses mentioned in 

 this paper I am indebted to Mr. G. V. Nash of the New York 

 Botanical Garden. 



