^6# List of the Plants of Chile. 



Orthotrichum ftffine, Schrad., O. anomalum, Hedw., and O. dia- 

 phanum, Schrad. Small mosses which grow upon stones and the 

 barks of trees. They are not interesting except in a botanical point 

 of view. They are all confounded under the name of pasiit a. 



Oscillatoria nigra. Vauch. and O. muralis, Ag. Syn. Two algae 

 very frequent in winter. The first on the surface of stagnant waters, 

 and the second on walls which are damp and in the shade. There 

 are other species which grow in similar situations, but whose charac- 

 ters, being for the most part microscopic, require time, instruments^ 

 and books which are not always within reach of the traveller to de- 

 termine them. They are only interesting in a scientific point of view. 



Oxalis. L. This genus offers many species proper to this coun- 

 try j some are not well known, and others are new. The name 

 mnagrillo is generally applied to those with yellow flowers, and vin- 

 agrillo Colorado to the species with a reddish flower. The most re- 

 markable are the following. The most common of the species is 

 that which is called ^or de las perdices. It begins to appear in April, 

 and continues flowering till the close of May. It covers the fields 

 and lawns of the plain. I am told that the Indians call this plant 

 rimu, and make use of its tincture. The word rimu, according to 

 Father Andres Hebres, signifies partridge. Keeping in sight what 

 we have just said, and what Molina says, there is room for suppos- 

 ing that the Sassia perdicaria of this author, is the plant mentioned; 

 save the leaves, the disposition of which he may not have had occa- 

 sion to observe, and particularly examining the plant from imperfect 

 specimens, which most probably has been the case. We have called 

 it O. perdicaria, not being able to refer it to any known species. 

 About the same time, and in the spring, another Oxalis is found, 

 with purple and sometimes violet flowers, in the sandy plains, near 

 rivers, and on the highlands. This, with the same exception, re- 

 sembles the Sassia tinctoria, Molina. I therefore think that this 

 genus should be expunged from the books, and I invite all botanists 

 who possess specimens of these two plants, to subject them to a care- 

 ful examination, in order to decide the question. I have called the 

 last O. arenaria. It closely resembles the O. tetraphylla, Cav. 

 Gardens are overrun by another species which is of the size of the 

 O. corniculata, L. The O. rosea, Jacq. is met with in abundance 

 in shady woods, both on the highland and on the plain. The O. 

 megalorhiza, Jacq. grows upon heights, and in the clefts of rocks. 

 It does not differ from the O. iuherosa, Molina. The O. pubescens, 



