THE EQUATORIAL ZONE. 309 



them grow the yellow flowers of Limnocharis Commersonii 

 (Nat. Ord. Butomacea), and a large Butterwort (Utricu- 

 laria)." But some caution is necessary in securing speci- 

 mens of these flowers, as we cannot reach out our hand to 

 pluck one without running the risk of being snapped at by 

 one of the many alligators with which this lake abounds. 



There is a very curious water-plant called Cabomba aqua- 

 tica found growing in little streams of clear water, " which 

 to the botanist is a most interesting plant, as, both in habit 

 and structure, it forms a transition link between the Ranun- 

 culus family and that of the Water Lilies " the flowers are 

 very much like a Buttercup in character, and the leaves are 

 of two kinds, in which it resembles the Water Ranunculus : 

 the floating leaves are nearly round, with the stalk in the 

 centre, the submersed leaves being cut into fine segments. 

 In the same situation we likewise find a pale blue-flowered 

 Pontederia, and some Cryptogamic water- plants called Mar- 

 silea. 



Amongst the plants we meet with whilst travelling along 

 level roads is a Sensitive Plant with "delicate pink heads " 

 " several diil'erent kinds of this curious plant grow very 

 abundantly all over the northern parts of Brazil." Another 

 plant which we constantly find growing by the roadside is 



