838 MR. WEIR'S JOURNAL. 
use of a rancho he had built when superintending the construction of a 
new road to Coritiba, but which is now nearly at a standstill for want of 
money. І thankfully accepted the offer. The rancho is about half-way 
up the Serra, and from there I shall be able to reach either top or bottom 
in a day, as well as several of the deep ravines that furrow its side. 
Jan, 20th.—Left Antonina for the Serra this morning, where I have 
established myself in Mr. Chandler’s rancho, for the purpose of exploring 
such parts as I can reach from this point. 
Jan. 2ist—Went through some of the forest in the vicinity of the 
rancho, but met with little of interest in a horticultural sense. I 
gathered specimens of the following:—No. 445 (Momordica ?), Cucurbit; 
the provision for the dispersion of the seeds is curious in this species. The 
three-valved fruit is somewhat reniforme, the largest and most developed 
valve being on the convex side, and on its point the placenta is borne; 
when the fruit is ripe, the slightest touch causes this valve to spring back- 
wards with great force, throwing the seeds to a distance of many yards.. 
No. 446 (Chetogastra), a herbaceous Melastomad, and Мо. 447 (Momor- 
dica), another Cucurbit, with somewhat leathery leaves. 
Jan, 23rd,—Collected to-day No. 451 (Cestrum Organense, Miers), à 
small tree; No. 452 (Codonocalyx tenuiflorus, Miers), also a small tree; 
No. 453 (Stenocalyx blastanthus ? Berg.) a tree of larger growth ; and 
No. 454, a large fern (Marattia cicutwfolia, Kemp. ?). "These are all from 
the lower parts of the Serra. ; 
Jan. 24th.—In the forest about halfway up the Serra I gathered speci- 
mens to-day of No. 455 (Inga semialata, Mart.), a small tree; No. 456 
(Diplazium dubium, Mett.); No. 457 (Begonia Paulensis, A.D.O.); 
No. 458 (Noisettia galeopsifolia, St. Hil.); No. 459 (Begonia polygonaf olia, 
A.D.C.); and No. 460 (Lasiandra diplostegium, Cham.), common to 8 
the Serra do Mar from Rio de Janeiro southward. The forest is gay noW 
with its large purple flowers. 4 
Jan. 95th,— Visited the top of the Serra again to-day, and gathered 
specimens of No. 461 (Tidefonsia, n. sp); No. 462 (Dipladenia Sellowt, 
Müll.); and No. 463, an epiphytal orchid with white flowers of little beauty ; 
this is hanging on the trees here in tons. The pretty Sophronitis grandi- 
aor common on the Serra top between Santos and St. Paul’s, is absent 
ere. 
It is here, amid almost perpetual mists, that the fuchsia thrives best, 
attaining the tops of the tallest trees, and hanging down nearly to the 
ground again in gorgeous festoons. 
Put up for the night in another rancho about a league beyond the Serra 
top, at a place called Corvo. 
Тап. 26th.—The peaks of the Serra rise to a height of about 700 to 800 
eet above the table-land of the interior, and are densely wooded to the 
