182 THE GEOGRAPHY OF PLANTS. 



o f cacti, and the cactus-like euphorbias, which 

 we have before described, begin here/ ~-As the 

 height increases, the palms become fewer, the 

 bananas diminish in size, the ginger tribe dis- 

 appear, but the orehideae and flowering parasites 

 become more numerous, and we approach 



2. The region of tree ferns and figs, from an 

 altitude of 1,900 feet to 3,600 or 3,800 feet, and 

 answering in some measure to the tropical zone. 

 The tree ferns will not flourish, however, but in 

 a very damp climate ; in barren soil or a dry 

 atmosphere they are quite wanting. We have 

 already attempted to give some account of this 

 singularly beautiful tribe of plants, which cap- 

 tivate the eye of every traveller in those regions. 

 On the American mountains, the cinchonce (or 

 trees yielding Peruvian bark) here begin to 

 appear, though they extend upwards through 

 the two next regions as well. This plant is 

 of very great importance in medicine, about 

 200,000 pounds being annually imported into 

 this country. Quinine is extracted from it. 

 Various species of fig, pepper, passion flowers as 

 tall and as thick as our oaks, bread fruit, calce- 

 olarias, etc., abound in this region. 



3. The region of the myrtles and laurels, 

 from 3,800 feet to 5,700 feet. Here myrtles, 

 camellias, magnolias, heaths, and acacias abound, 

 and form some of the most striking features in 

 the vegetation. The cultivation of the banana 

 extends within this region. Trees of the fig- 

 tribe appear at the height of 3,000 feet on the 

 mountains of Java, together with the curious 



