THE EQUATORIAL ZONE. 271 



culiacea, must also acknowledge a near connection with the 

 Mallow family. As, however, we shall not meet with any 

 of them till we visit Africa, or the Cape de Yerd Islands, 

 we need say no more of them at present. 



In the New World there are other trees "not less as- 

 tonishing for their height and bulk" amongst the Mahogany- 

 trees (Swletenm] ; and some others which, like the Mimosas, 

 belong to the Leguminous family, without having papiliona- 

 ceous flowers, called Hymenece and C&salpiniea. Some of 

 the latter, called Locust-trees, which grow in South Ame- 

 rica, are represented by Yon Martius as of such enormous size 

 that fifteen Indians, hand in hand, with outstretched arms, 

 could but just encircle the trunk. These are but a few 

 indeed of the many unfamiliar names which appear in the 

 list of trees which compose the New World forests ; whilst 

 in the Old World we find Ebony-trees (Ebenacea), Bread- 

 fruit-trees (Artocarpus incisa), a tribe called Soap-berry- 

 trees (Sapindacea, whose berries yield a natural soap, and 

 are often used for washing in those countries where they 

 grow), besides the tribe of Laurels (Laurinea), and many 

 others, the bare names of which it would be useless to repeat. 



There is a plant called the Nipa Palm, which was formerly 

 included in the Palm family, though now referred by most 



