196 PHYSIOGNOMY OF PLANTS. 



fore in the African equinoctial zone. (Lindley, Introduction 

 to the Natural System of Botany, p. 99.) Blume also 

 found two species of Salix near the equator, in Java : one 

 wild and indigenous, S. tetrasperma ; and another cultivated, 

 S. sieboldiana. From the southern temperate zone I know 

 only two willows described by Thunberg, (S. hirsuta and 

 S. mucronata) ; they grow by the side of Protea argentea 

 (which has itself very much the physiognomy of a willow), 

 on the banks of the Orange River, and their leaves and 

 young shoots form the food of the hippopotamus. Willows 

 are entirely wanting in Australia and the neighbouring 

 islands. 



( 31 ) p. 29." Myrtacear 



An elegant form, with stiff, shining, thickly set, 

 small, and generally entire, leaves, studded with pellucid 

 dots. Myrtacese give a peculiar character to three districts 

 of the earth's surface, the South of Europe, particularly 

 the calcareous and trachytic islands which rise above the 

 surface of the Mediterranean ; the continent of New Hol- 

 land, adorned with Eucalyptus, Metrosideros, and Lepto- 

 spermum ; and an intertropical region, part of which is 

 low, and part from nine to ten thousand feet high (about 

 9590 to 10660 English), in the Andes of South America. 

 This mountain district, called in Quito the district of the 

 Paramos, is entirely covered with trees which have a myrtle- 

 like aspect and character, even though they may not all 

 belong to the natural family of Myrtacese. Here, at the 

 above-named elevation, grow the Escallonia myrtilloides, 



