REGIONS. 181 



exemplified OR a single mountain, which thus 

 epitomizes, in a manner, the flora of the whole 

 earth. 



On mountains situated at a distance from the 

 equator, the vegetation at their base will be 

 the same as that of the zone in which they are 

 situate : thus, the Peak of Teneriffe, in the 

 sub-tropical zone, is at foot well cultivated, 

 and produces date palms, olives, vines, plan- 

 tains, etc., extending to a height of 1,200 to 

 1,800 feet. The second zone produces laurels, 

 arid many plants with showy flowers, and 

 reaches the height of 5,760 feet above the sea. 

 The third zone is the region of pines, (Abietinos^ 

 extending 2,550 feet further. Above this is a 

 tract of broom, and then one of grasses and 

 cryptogamic plants, scantily covering the heaps 

 of lava. Tournefort also mentions of Mount 

 Ararat, that at its foot were the plants ot 

 Armenia, above these such as were natives 

 of A climate like that of France, higher still 

 he was surrounded with Swedish species, and 

 at the summit with polar plants. 



1. We may characterize the region from the 

 level of the sea to an altitude of 1,900 feet, (in 

 the equatorial zone,) as that of palms and 

 bananas corresponding with the equinoctial zone. 

 Here we find gigantic fig trees, the innumerable 

 offshoots of which form quite a forest, which yet 

 remain in the closest union with the parent 

 tree. Wherever there is a good rich soil, palms, 

 bananas, cardamoms, and plants of the ginger 

 tribe abound ; and, in America, the cereus form 

 16 



