256 LUXURIANCE OF VEGETATION. 



ing in the air, and continuing their migration x wards thp 

 mouths of the Orinoco. 



The fine vegetation of the mountains spreads over the 

 plains, wherever the rock is covered with mould. We 

 generally find that this black mould, mixed with fibrous 

 vegetable matter, is separated from the granitic rock by a 

 layer of white sand. The missionary assured us that verdure 

 of perpetual freshness prevails in the vicinity of the cataracts, 

 produced by the quantity of vapour which the river, broken 

 into torrents and cascades for the length of three or four 

 thousand toises, diffuses in the air. 



We had not heard thunder more than once or twice at 

 Atures, and the vegetation everywhere displayed that vigorous 

 aspect, that brilliancy of colour, seen on the coast only at 

 the end of the rainy season. The old trees were decorated 

 with beautiful orchideas,* yellow bannisterias, blue-flowered 

 bignonias, peperomias, arums, and pothoses, A single trunk 

 displays a greater variety of vegetable forms than are con- 

 tained within an extensive space of ground in our countries. 

 Close to the parasite plants peculiar to very hot climates we 

 observed, not without surprise, in the centre of the torrid 

 zone, and near the level of the sea, mosses resembling in 

 every respect those of Europe. "We gathered, near the Great 

 Cataract of Atures, that fine specimen of Grimmiaf with 

 fontinaljs leaves, which has so much fixed the attention of 

 botanists. It is suspended to the branches of the loftiest 

 trees. Of the phanerogamous plants, those which prevail 

 in the woody spots are the mimosa, ficus, and laurinea. 

 This fact is the more characteristic as, according to the 

 observations of Mr. Brown, the Iaurinea3 appear to be almost 

 entirely wanting on the opposite continent, in the equinoctial 

 part of Africa. Plants that love humidity adorn the scenery 

 surrounding the cataracts. We there find in the plains groups 

 of heliconias and other scitamineaB with large and glossy 

 leaves, bamboos, and the three palm-trees, the murichi, 



* Cymbidium violaceura, Habenaria angustifolia, &e. 

 i Grimmia fontinakndes. See Hooker's Musci Exotici, 1818, tab. ii. 

 The learned author of the Monography of the Jungermannise (Mr. Jackson 

 Hooker), with noble disinterestedness, published at his own expense, m 

 London, the whole collection of cryptogamous plants/brought by Bonpland 

 and Humboldt from the equinoctial regions of America. 



