HORTUS VETTCHII 



named plants obtained and introduced Prumnopitys elegans, 

 Podocarpus nubigena, Eucryphia pinnatifolia, several 

 Bomareas, Thibaudia acuminata, Ourisia coccinea, 0. Pearcei 

 and quantities of Ferns. At the same time, through his 

 researches, the true Alerze-producing tree was found to be 

 Fitzroya patagonica and not Libocedrus tetragona as had been 

 generally supposed. 



During 1860 Pearce made many journeys to the Cordilleras 

 and the interior of the country, to Los Bafios, the Baths of 

 Chilian, and to Los Luganos, the Lakes. 



Of the scenery of that part of the Cordilleras which he 

 explored he writes : " It is of the most charming description 

 gently undulating meadows covered with a carpet of short 

 grass, placid lakes reflecting from their smooth surface the 

 mountains around, foaming cataracts and gentle rivulets, 

 deep gorges and frightful precipices, over which tumble 

 numerous dark, picturesque waterfalls reaching the bottom 

 in a cloud of spray, high rocky pinnacles and lofty peaks, 

 surround one on every side. 



" Nor is the vegetation less beautiful and interesting. At 

 an elevation of 4,000 ft. the vegetation exhibits a totally 

 different character from that of the coast. Here one finds 

 Antarctic Beeches (Fagus antarctica and F. betuloides), which 

 constitute with Fitzroya patagonica the large forest trees. 

 The Embothrium coccineum, Desfontainea spinosa, Philesia 

 buxifolia, three species of Berberis, Pernettya and Gaultheria 

 are the most abundant of the flowering shrubs, whilst the 

 numerous pretty little rock-plants meet one at every step with 

 their various forms and colours." 



Early in 1862 Pearce left Chili, travelled north to Peru and 

 Bolivia in search of stove and greenhouse plants, and plants 

 with fine foliage, From Cuenca he sent a good number of 



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