852 
ther of several preceding days had delayed. 
The time which we had allowed ourselves 
to spend at Tejuca having now expired, 
we returned to the city along the public 
road, remarking in its vicinity several large 
trees of Guarea grandifolia, D C., a few 
of Araucaria imbricata (Colymbium an- 
gustifolia, Raddi), and Cassia Brasiliana. 
* Although I had frequently botanized 
at the base and sides of the Corcovado, it 
was not till three weeks ago that I reached 
its summit, the ascent of which is from the 
N. W. side, leading through a wood that 
reaches nearly to the top. The eastern 
side of this mountain is a nearly perpen- 
dicular precipice. Some of the trees, 
during the early part of the ascent, are 
very large and attain a great height. The 
underwood consists of Palms, Melasto- 
macee, Myrtacee, Tree-Ferns, Crotons, 
Rubvacee, &c. The herbaceous portion 
of the vegetation is made up of Ferns, 
Dorstenias, Heliconias, and, in the more 
open places, of a few large Grasses. To- 
wards the summit, the trees become fewer 
and of a more stunted growth; and shrubs, 
especially those of the genus Croton, are 
abundant, intermingled with a profusion 
of Bamboos and large herbaceous Grasses, 
Two shrubs principally occupy the top; 
these are a Melastomaceous one and the 
Francisia Hopeana ; the latter, which I 
had never previously seen in a wild state, 
surprised me, as I should little have ex- 
pected to meet with it in such abundance 
at the summit of a mountain nearly two 
thousand feet above the level of the sea. 
It was sparingly in flower. In the clefts 
of the rocks were a few small Orchideous 
plants, and Gesnera bulbosa, of Ker, in 
great profusion. The bare top of the 
mountain, consisting of granite of very 
course formation, is, in many places, co- 
vered with small lichens; while in the 
shaded spots I noticed a few patches of 
Polytrichum juniperinum. On the edges 
of the rock overhanging the eastern pre- 
cipitous side, grew the white-blossomed 
Apocynous plant that had struck me on 
ie Pedra Bonita, which is a mountain of 
about equal height with the Corcovado. 
BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 
* As to what regards the large | 
trees in this neighbourhood, I am s 
say, that I have learned but little. Ind 
this is one of the most difficult departi 
of Brazilian Botany. To ascertain all 
ought to be known on this subject, a p 
son would need to reside for years, in 
of months, in the neighbourhood; be 
possessed, too, of * all appliances 
trunks. e 
subject has been derived from the exami- | 
nation of such shed-flowers as lay beneath ; 
and in this way I have ascertained that 
some belong to the Melastomacee, others 
to the genera Bombaz, Cassia, Lecytius, 
Bignonia, and Swartzia. I have met 
with two species of Picus; one on the 
Corcovado, and the other in the Valley of : 
Rio Comprido, but both of them were | 
small trees. As yet I have seen no Lau- 
us. You may rest asssured that, during 
my future travels, I shall always strive to : 
ascertain what the large forest-trees of this _ 
country actually are. | 
* GEORGE 
as | 
GARDNER - 
d 
The result of Mr. Gardner's jou | 
the Organ Mountains may be very e A ) 
expected; and it is then proposed, 
Buenos Ayres will, probably, be x 
quarters for some time, whence, by means 
of the Rio Plata, the Uraguay, &c, em | 
is a ready communication with i 
countries to the west and north-west 9 
whence a journey to the eastern declivity 
of the Cordilleras of Chili will, perlaP® 
be as productive as any portion © So 
America. It is there that many 
and other rarities were found by Dr. Gil 
lies, which are known to very few 
nists, save to the immediate friends 
Bota- 
of that 
lamented Naturalist. * 
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