404 TEINIDAD. 





the mainland of Trinidad, which circumstance is, undoubtedly, 

 the great modifying cause inducing a botanical resemblance 

 between the former and the Windward Islands ; whereas the 

 flora of Guiana preponderates on the mainland. Any person 

 landing on one of these islets must be struck at once with the 

 difference : large bromelias, cactuses, and agaves everywhere 

 shoot up, with their characteristic features ; and the thickets of 

 brushwood are composed of helicteres, crotons, capparis, and 

 mimosas, under whose shade thrives a luxuriant vegetation of 

 evolvulus, ruellias, various commelynacese, amarantacesB and 

 compositae, with only a very few grasses. One ridge is wholly 

 occupied by the beautiful Coutarea speciosa, one of the bark- 

 trees of the West Indies. 



The primaeval forests of these small islands were probably 

 destroyed at an early period, so that we cannot now affirm what 

 they then were ; but we must conjecture they were different from 

 those of the mainland. The few plants which are now standing 

 are of trifling interest to the botanist : besides, they do not dis- 

 play that marvellous vigour exhibited by the general vegetation 

 of Trinidad. Almost constantly buffeted by strong blighting 

 winds, they exhibit a ruffled appearance, just as the man, 

 harrowed by habitual passions, bears a peculiar cast of features. 

 These trees belong to the genera bursera, gomphia, sabinea, 

 bombax, and others. 



Having thus, and as far as my abilities would allow, 

 sketched the general features of our vegetable world in its 

 natural state, I must now offer a few remarks on the appearance 

 it takes under the fostering care of man, and the modifying 

 influence of cultivation. The plants which are grown, directly or 

 indirectly, for the purpose of ministering to the sustenance and 

 convenience of man, have been fully noticed in the work to which 

 the present paper forms an appendix : they are therefore not to 

 be considered here. But a few plants formerly introduced into 

 Trinidad have been since allowed to degenerate into a wild 

 state ; of these I shall first speak. I must premise, however, 

 that my data are not sufficiently authentic, and, of course, 

 this part of my sketch, at least in a few instances, admits of 

 doubts. 



The first family which claims our attention is that of grasses 

 — either as having produced a few troublesome intruders, or as 



