200 PHYSIOGNOMY OF PLANTS. 



obliqua, form forests. The Myrtacese become more abundant 

 beyond 38 S. lat., in the Island of Chiloe, where a 

 Metrosideros-like species of Myrtus (Myrtus stipularis) 

 forms almost impenetrable thickets under the name of 

 Tepuales ; in Patagonia ; and in Fuegia to its extremity in 

 56J S. lat. In the Old Continent they prevail in Europe 

 as far as the 46th parallel of North latitude : in Australia, 

 Tasmania, New Zealand, and the Auckland Islands, they 

 advance to 50J South latitude. 



( 32 ) y.Z$. 



This group comprises the genera Melastoma (Fothergilla 

 and Tococa Aubl.) and Ehexia (Meriana and Osbeckia), of 

 which we found, on either side of the equator in tropical 

 America alone, 60 new species. Bonpland has published 

 a superb work on Melastomacese, in two volumes, with 

 coloured drawings. Some species of Ehexia and Melastoma 

 ascend in the Andes, as alpine or Paramos shrubs, as 

 high as nine and ten thousand five hundred (about 9600 

 and 11190 English) feet: among these are Ehexia cernua, 

 R. stricta, Melastoma obscurum, M. aspergillare, and 

 M. lutescens. 



(33) p. 29. "Laurel-form." 



To this form belong the genera of Laurus and Persea, the 

 Ocotese so numerous in South America, and (on account 

 of physiognomic resemblance), Calophyllum and the superb 

 aspiring Mammea, from among the Guttiferse. 



