158 RELATION BETWEEN CLIMATE AND VEGETATION 



that, of the one which is so common about Pernambuco, and the 

 flavour still more delicious. A few small Palms exist in the 

 woods, the small nuts of which form a principal article in the 

 food of the Indians. The shrubs found in the woods consist of 

 various species of Mi/i-tacece, Myrsiimcece, and Miibiacece. One 

 of the most beautiful among the latter is a species o{ Augusta, 

 which bears a profusion of crimson flowers about three inches 

 long. It is a shrub from two to four feet high, growing by the 

 sides of streams in shady places, with its roots almost always co- 

 vered with water. In drier parts of the woods a climbing Noran- 

 tea, similar to that foimd at Pernambuco, and equally beautiful, 

 was also common. The shrubs in the campos consisted of va- 

 rious species oi Helicteres,A)iona, Lecythis, Erythroxyhim, Mal- 

 pighlacecp, Oxalis, Gomphia, Bauhinia, some of them erect, 

 and with simple leaves, Blelastomacea;, Diplusodo?i, Passijlora, 

 Lippia, Croton, Jatropha, «&c. Besides these, I met with single 

 species of the following genera: — Heisteria, Vellozia, a fine 

 large plant, and very common, but unfortunately not in flower ; 

 a Myristica growing gregariously in dry sandy places, and not 

 more than four feet high ; and a most beautiful little shrub, pro- 

 bably a species of Jacaranda, growing in patches about a foot 

 square, not more than a foot high, and bearing a profusion of 

 pale yellow Bignonia-like flowers. The Diphisodons are beau- 

 tiful little shrubs, belonging to the natural order Ziythrariece, and 

 are peculiar to the upland grassy and sandy campos of the inte- 

 rior of Brazil, They liave mostly narrow heath-like leaves, and 

 rose-coloured or violaceous, rarely white, flowers, which are 

 produced in the greatest profusion. The herbaceous plants of 

 the open upland campos around Duro consist of various species 

 of Cissampelos, Sauvagesia, Legtiminosce, Vernonia, Ichthyo- 

 there, Chresta, and other Composites, Ecldtes, Convolvulus, Ipo- 

 mcea, Hyptis, and Peltodon. Of these the most ornamental 

 were Chresta exsucca, wliich produces large heads of pale purple 

 flowers ; two kinds of Echites, one of them about two feet high, 

 with broad smooth leaves and numerous rose-coloured flowers, 

 measuring more than two inches across, the other with decussate 

 long narrow leaves, white underneath, and white flowers with 

 very long tubes ; and an Ipomcea ( /. hirsutissitna, Gardn.), 

 from six to eight inches high, growing in little tufts, very hairy 

 in all its parts, and with large violaceous flowers. From its 

 small size, peculiar habit, and really beautiful flowers, this would 

 be a most desirable plant for cultivation. Along with these 

 grew many species of grasses, a curious leafless Crumenaria, an 

 Alstrcemeria, two species of Amaryllis, one of them the long 

 yellow-flowered A. solandrcpflora, Lindl., and two fine kinds of 

 Cyriopodium. In the dry sandy campos grew the only plant 



