NATURALIST'S GUIDE TO THE AMERICAS 



Alvaradoa amorphoides, Chascotheca ne- 

 opeltandra, Argythamnia candicans, Cel- 

 tis swartzii, Plumiera obtusa, Diospyros 

 halesioides, Tabzbuia saxicola. East of 

 Sagua la Grande, in the prolongation 

 of the first chain, is the Sabana Range, 

 reaching an altitude of 1000 to 2000 ft. 

 in the Sierras of Bamburanao, Mata- 

 hambre and Jatibonico, in the caves of 

 which have been found fossils of Mega- 

 locnus rodens and Crocodilus sp., by the 

 well known Cuban Naturalist, Dr. 

 Carlos de la Torre. In the Cays of the 

 north coast, may be seen a hawk, 

 feeding on fish, the "Guincho" (Pandion 

 carolinensis} . A rare owl, the ' 'Tarab6' ' 

 (Asio accipitrinus] , has been found near 

 Camajuani. 



The country south of Sierra Morena 

 chain, between Macagua and Santo 

 Domingo is a rather flat or undulated 

 and mostly barren region, of sandy or 

 gravelly savannas and low serpentine 

 hills. Good deer hunting can be had 

 here, and the flora is interesting, showing 

 evident relations to that of Pinar del 

 Rio, especially in the wet savannas of 

 Mordazo and Manacas, where grow 

 several species of Eriocaulon, Xyris, 

 Drosera rotundifolia, Rhexia cubensis. 

 The chief features are the peculiar 

 "Maboa" (Carrier aria angustifolia] , and 

 the "Jata" palms (Copernicia glabres- 

 cens, C. hospita, C. macroglossa) ; Ronde- 

 letia brachycarpa, Pictetia marginata, 

 Chrysobalanus pellocarpus, Tabebuia le- 

 pidota. That area has likely been 

 modified and deprived at least of its 

 pine groves. The existence of Pines 

 in Santa Clara province, in former times, 

 is proved by the finding of pine cones, 

 together with the fossils of Megalocnus 

 rodens. This central axis of serpentine 

 is prolonged eastward into the Oriente 

 province. 



South of the Central Railroad is the 

 most mountainous part of Las Villas, 

 divided in two ranges. The first and 

 more central is the Cubanacdn Range of 

 serpentine formation and denuded ap- 

 pearance; it reaches in Sierra del Escam- 

 bray and Sierra Alta de Agabama alti- 

 tudes of 2500 ft. or more. Its flora is 



quite rich in endemic elements. Fi- 

 nally, not far from the coast, and sep- 

 arated by Agabama river, are the two 

 groups of the Guamuhaya Range: the 

 Trinidad mountains and the Sancti 

 Spiritus group. The first is chiefly built 

 up of dolomites and attains an altitude 

 of more than 3500 ft., in Potrerillo and 

 Taguayabo peaks. The Sancti Spiritus 

 mountains are formed by serpentines, 

 micaschist and dolomites from north to 

 south in the same order; talc and rock 

 crystal are found in several places. 

 These mountains reach about the same 

 height as the Trinidad Range. As they 

 are sometimes rather inaccessible, there 

 are yet many little modified areas. 

 Most of the highest ridges and peaks 

 are moist from their contact with the 

 fog; many streams flow from those 

 heights and their numerous waterfalls 

 are one of their most interesting fea- 

 tures. The damp forest which cover the 

 slopes has chiefly the kind of flora 

 named 'Manacales," characterized by 

 the "Manaca" palm (Calyptrogyne 

 occidentalis) ; huge trees of Cedrela 

 odorata and Juglans insularis are seen 

 there, as also Citrus vulgaris, Swietenia 

 mahogany, Magnolia cubensis, Ochroma 

 lagopus, Dendropanax arbor eum and Z). 

 cuneifolium, Paritium, tiliaceum, Ron- 

 deletia leoni and R. bicolor strongly 

 Coumarine scented, Begonia oblicua, 

 Mayepea domingensis, Sapium jamai- 

 cense, Ocotea cuneata, Guettarda valen- 

 zuelana, Rhamnidium rocanum, Rourea 

 glabra, wonderful specimens of Arthro- 

 stylidium urbanii are on river banks; 

 Taonabo obovalis is common; Ilex de- 

 mentis, and Senecio plumbeus on the 

 ridges, and Machaeonia microphylla 

 on high savannas; but the most interest- 

 ing botanical feature is the presence 

 of tree ferns up to thirty or forty feet 

 tall, likely the tallest of Cuba. Among 

 the tree ferns are: Cyathea arborea, C. 

 cubensis, Alsophila aspera. The floral 

 elements of the Guamuhaya Range are 

 of heterogenous origin, and the per- 

 centage of endemic plants usually low. 

 Flocks of "Cotorras" (Chrysothis 

 leucocephalus} and of "Cateyes" 01 



