June 1891.] BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 135 



Of such a nature, then, were the surroundings of the 

 " Bolivia " for many months. On leaving her, and making 

 my way overland to Asuncion, I came across more variety 

 of vegetation. We skirted along the margins of great 

 swamps, with their luxuriant growth of cannaceous plants 

 and bulrushes, and with their floating carpets of azolla and 

 pistia. Then we traversed stretches of open park-like 

 country — fine green turf, dotted with various kinds of 

 trees — especially numerous being Adenantherse of the 

 genus Prosopis. The small handubey (Frosopis nandtibcy, 

 Lor.) was numerous in places ; the Algarrobo and the Vinal 

 {P. ruscifolia, Gr.). The latter is one of the largest of the 

 trees here met with, and is very common, generally occurring 

 as isolated specimens in the open. It is characterised by its 

 gigantic thorns. The Algarrobo is more social than the 

 Vinal — resembles it in appearance, but is smaller. It 

 furnishes a long pod, which contains a very large quantity 

 of sugar, providing the Indians with a very nourishing food 

 during the season. Out of it they also make a very refresh- 

 ing fermented drink, which they call " luktaga." 



As we approached nearer to the Kio Paraguay, we got into 

 a much finer country, well drained and watered, and bearing 

 luxuriant vegetation. Patches of thick forest alternated with 

 rich pasture land. The forests themselves were very difterent 

 from those further inland. They dripped with moisture, de- 

 caying tree trunks lay about in all directions, covered with a 

 thick growth of ferns, caragnatas, and pothos plants. The 

 trees were large and varied — tall Timbos, magnificent laurels 

 were mingled with Quebrachos, Lapachos, Guayacanes, &c., 

 with here and there palm trees — either the large feather- 

 leaved Pindoh, or the small fan -leaved dwarf palm. 

 Occasionally, especially about the margins of the woods, we 

 would see one of the extraordinary Palo horracho, a huge 

 bombaceous tree, with flask-shaped stem covered with big 

 obtuse spines, and with large white flowers. The riverain 

 region bordering the Paraguay is then, as you will see, very 

 difterent from that more to the centre of the Chaco — a 

 difference attributable to the higher and better drained 

 nature of its ground, as well as to its very difterent and 

 much moister climate. 



