304 



It is, therefore, not to be expected that the Panaraiau flora should 

 exhibit any very striking character, or be distinguished by the pre- 

 sence of strongly delineated forms, like Mexico by its cactuses, 

 Australia by its Epacrideae, capsular Myrtaceae, and phyllodineous 

 acacias, or the Cape of Good Hope by its heaths, succulent aloes, 

 stapelias and mesembvyanthemuras. The want of such forms is so 

 obvious, that a superficial observer would be induced to declare the 

 flora identical with those of the bordering states; a person, however, 

 who investigates more closely, cannot fail to notice the prevailing 

 clothing of the leaves with hair and tomentum, the abundance of 

 greenish, yellow, and white flowers, and the numerical superiority of 

 the natural orders Leguminosse, Melastomaceae, Compositae, Rubi- 

 aceae, Orchideae, and iexx\%,— features which, although less prominent 

 than those alluded to, still exercise a decided influence on the physi- 

 ognomy of the vegetation. 



" But it must not be supposed that the flora is without certain pe- 

 culiarities of its own ; indeed, it has peculiarities which distinguish it 

 from that of all other countries, and which are calculated to show 

 many a genus and many a natural order in an entirely new light. 

 The most important, perhaps, that might be adduced, is the Balboa 

 odorata, Seem.., whose discovery has established the union of Passi- 

 floreaB and Turneraceae, embracing, as it does, the chief characteristics 

 of these two families (n. 1922). The genus Pentagonia is equally 

 curious, on account of its being the only Rubiacea which has yet been 

 found with pinnatifid leaves ; it belongs to the subdivision of Garde- 

 nias, and thus forms a clear transition to the order Lonicereae, in 

 which a pinnatifid foliage and a baccate fruit are not uncommon fea- 

 tures. Remarkable are two species of Begonia, B. oppositifolia. 

 Seem. (n. 1099), and B. centradenioides. Seem. (561), both with leaves 

 which are opposite and of unequal size, as is the case with Centra- 

 denia rosea, Lindl., Clidemia cyanocarpa, Bth., C. fenestrata, Bth., 

 C. barbinervis, Bth., and numerous other Melastomaceae. Their 

 similarity in habit to some of the Melastomaceae is really very striking, 

 and will give additional weight to the arguments of those who favour 

 the relationship between the two orders. The Carludovica palmata, 

 R. et Pav., is another production of the Isthmus, though not exclu- 

 sively confined to it, which deserves notice. It has large fan-shaped 

 leaves, and resembles many of the palms so closely that it must always 

 be considered as constituting an important link between Pandaneae 

 and palms. No less surprising is the occurrence of the genera Mac- 

 leania, Sphyrospermum, and Cypripedium in the coast region, in a 



