338 NOTES OF A BOTANIST 



carpus). It climbs to the tops of the Algarrobos, and often hangs 

 therefrom in dense masses. It has heart-shaped stellate-pubescent 

 leaves and panicles of minute green flowers, which persist on the 

 enclosed black utricle. A stout parasitical Loranthus, with small 

 yellowish flowers, often forms large bushes on the Algarrobo, and 

 generally ends by destroying the tree whereon it has established 

 itself. 



A far handsomer tree than the Algarrobo sometimes grows 

 along with it, especially where there is rather more moisture than 

 usual ; this is the Charan (Caesalpinia). It is a widely-spreading 

 tree, often branched from the very base, and the shining reddish 

 bark is being constantly renewed. It has exceedingly graceful 

 bipinnate foliage roseate at the tips of the branches panicles 

 of yellow flowers, spotted with red, and thick deep-purple pods, 

 which are extensively used in tanning. 



The Azota-Cristo or Whip-Christ (Parkinsonia aculeata), so 

 called from its excessively long pendulous leaves, from whose 

 thong-like rachis the small leaflets often fall away, is less hand- 

 some but still more uncommon-looking than the Charan, and it 

 is also much rarer in this region. It reappears in the Antilles. 



A few other trees are occasionally met with, such as a 

 Calliandra, conspicuous for its numerous flowers green tinged 

 with rose out of which hang the long, silky, straw-coloured 

 stamens, and for its curled scarlet pods ; two Acacias, one of 

 them the widely-dispersed A. Farnesiana ; a Maytenus, which is 

 especially abundant at the mouth of the Chira, and is common 

 enough along the coast of Ecuador as far north as the Equator ; 

 and the Oberal ( Varronia rotundifolia\ a solanaceous tree or shrub, 

 with numerous bright yellow trumpet-shaped flowers and white 

 berries, abounding in a viscid juice, which is used by the dusky 

 beauties of Guayaquil to straighten out their hair and hide its 

 natural crispness. . . . 



The trees mentioned above as belonging to the desert grow 

 also in the valley, and far more luxuriantly there, but generally 

 scattered along the outer margin of the Algarrobo belt, especially 

 wherever the soil is much impregnated with salt. The Zapote de 

 perro bears a large berry, not unlike a smallish melon in size, 

 shape, and the alternating green and white streaks. Its taste is 

 disagreeable, and I have not seen it touched by any animal, 

 although it is said to be eaten by dogs (as its name implies), and 

 also by foxes and goats. The Vichaya, a dense growing bush, 

 with oval hoary leaves, has yellow berries the size of a damson, 

 containing a few stony seeds involved in a mawkish sweet pulp. 

 Another Capparis, which scrambles up into the trees, also grows 

 here, but rarely ; it is much more frequent near Guayaquil, as is 

 also the Vichaya, which is there called Cuchuchu. In fact, all the 

 trees and shrubs hitherto mentioned (with one or two exceptions) 



