m VARIOUS rAETS OF THE GLOBE. 159 



belonging to the Cactus tribe I met witli here, a species of 

 Mammillaria, measuring about four inches across. In tlie moister 

 campos Eriocaulons were common, as was also a beautiful new 

 species of the curious genus Abolboda, with much larger flowers 

 than the original species figured by Humboldt ; and two species 

 of Hapatea, one of which is the H.paludosa of Aubl. In moist 

 places, among buslies, grew a fine large species of Eryngium, a 

 tall sufFruticose Iclithy other e ; and in dry places of a similar na- 

 ture, a very handsome sun-flower-like species of Lcigliia (X. 

 grandlftora, Gardn.), with flowers about three inches in dia- 

 meter. Fer7is were very rare, all that I met with being a single 

 species of A diantum, and a small Lycopodium. 



Leaving Duro, and entering the level country to the west- 

 ward, a journey of twelve days brought us to the Villa de Nati- 

 vidade, a little to the east of the banks of the great Rio Tocan- 

 tins, which empties itself into the Amazon. The rainy season 

 had now set in, which in sucli wild countries renders travelling 

 very difficult. To avoid such, and to give my horses a rest, I 

 determined to remain here till the heaviest of the rains would be 

 over. A residence of upwards of three months, notwithstanding 

 the heavy rains, enabled me to accumulate a large herbarium of 

 the vegetation of the surrounding country, which, with the ex- 

 ception of one high serra which runs from south to north, is very 

 level. The low country very much resembles the Campos agres- 

 tes of the south of Piauhy ; but the soil is more argillaceous and 

 gravelly, being principally formed of the debris of primitive 

 rocks. It has been turned up in all directions in search of gold, 

 which formerly used to be found in abundance. The stripes of 

 forest which intersect the campos here have not much large 

 timber in them, and they are for the most part evergreen. One 

 of the largest of the trees which compose them is a species of 

 Couratari (C. rubra, Gardn. MSS.). Among the other trees 

 which I met with in flower here I may mention the following; — 

 a fine Byrsonima, with broad woolly leaves ; an Amphilochia, 

 Commilobium pohjgaliJJorum, Benth., called Sicupira by the 

 Brazilians ; two species of Ilex, both small trees ; a new species 

 of the curious genus Tapura ( T. ciliafa, Gardn.), a Sapindus, 

 &c. One of the finest small trees in the woods here is the P/iy- 

 socalymna, florida, Pohl., which produces large panicles of rose- 

 coloured flowers, and, like the Diplusodons, belongs to the na- 

 tural order Lythrarice. Mr. George Don, in his edition of 

 Miller's Dictionary, has committed a great error with regard to 

 this tree, in asserting that the wood of it is the true Rose-wood 

 of commerce. It has neither the size nor the colour of rose- 

 wood, and moreover the Physocalyma is not known out of the 

 province of Goyaz ; while the true Rose-wood, which belongs to 



