692 



APPENDIX. 



distributed over tlie country. Mr. Douglas described 

 it as a magnificent tree, attaining the heiglit of liO 

 feet, and four feet in diameter. Its pricldy cones are 

 large ; so are tbe seeds, which are eaten by the natives 

 of those countries, and are pleasant to the taste. The 

 tree is perfectly hardy, and well endures our severest 

 winters. Tiie wood is whitish, and rather soft, espe- 

 cially in situations where its growth is rapid. Fig. 4. 

 — Pinus 2^inca, the stone-pine, p. 46i. This is the 

 pine of Claude Lorraine's Italian landscapes. Fig. 5. 

 — Cedrus deodm'a, the deodar, from the mountains of 

 northern India, equal, if not superior in beauty to the 

 cedar of Lebanon, of which some eminent botanists 

 now consider it to be a variety. The wood is com- 

 pact and durable. The gates of the celebi-ated temple 

 of Somnauth are constructed of deodar; as those of 

 Solomon's temple were, and those of St. Peter's at 

 liome are, of tlie cedar of Lebanon. Fig. 6. — Ahies ex- 

 cdsa or Clanhrassiliana, Lord Clanbrassil's spruce-fir, 

 very generally considered only as a variety, although 

 by some ranked as a species, which certainly its ap- 

 pearance and growth woiJd warrant as very different 

 from any other spruce, being a low compact bush, of 

 from three to four feet high, with short, numerous 

 branches, closely covered with leaves, which are sel- 

 dom more than one-fom"th of an inch long. Intro- 

 duced to Britain by Lord Clanbrassil ; the date and 

 locality uncertain, but supposed to be from the Le- 

 vant. Fig. 7. — Pinus Ooulteri, or Dr. Coulter's pine, 

 a native of the western coast of North America, ex- 

 tending from 40° to 43° north ; also on a range of 

 low hills from the Eocliy Mountains towards the sea 

 at Cape Orford, of Vancouver, where it was dis- 

 covered by the late distinguished botanical collector, 

 Mr. David Douglas, in 1826, when he sent home 

 seeds to the London Horticultural Society, where it 

 was raised and distributed to the various collections. 

 It was met with more recently by Dr. Coulter on the 

 mountains of St. Lucia, at an elevation of nearly 

 4000 feet above the level of the sea. That gentleman 

 likewise sent home fresh seeds of it to various gardens, 

 where it has been raised. It is perfectly hardy, and 

 is said to attain a height of 100 feet, with a circum- 

 ference of 12 feet. From its rapid growth, the wood 

 is not expected to be valuable; but the tree is highly 

 ornamental, either in the pinetura or .Gingly on the 

 lawn or park. — For other figm'es, see Index or List 

 of Plates. 



PLATE XVIII. 



A BEAZILIAN I-OEBST. 

 Meyen and Von Martins state that a characteristic 

 feature in Br.izilian forests is the variety and profu- 

 sion of climbing plants. By the commingling of 

 their branches, they bind themselves closely to the 

 wood of the tree wliich supports them. In this pro- 

 cess tlie strength of the original root of the parasite 

 becomes weakened, and as a counterpoise, the stem 

 sends dov^n air-roota, and thus this tenacious and 

 vigorous race continually acquire fresh strength and 

 freedom. "In proportion (says Meyen) to the ma- 

 jestic beauty of a primeval forest, is its fearful gran- 

 deur when in conflict with the wild elements. To 



be in such a forest during a violent hurricane, is 

 described as more fearful than to struggle with the 

 raging waves in the open sea. When the boisterous 

 wind catches hold of the tops of the gigantic trees of 

 these natural forests, and shakes the branches and 

 trunks against each other, the air is filled with a fear- 

 ful rushing, thundering, rattling, and crashing. Even 

 the strong lianas (climbing plants) are torn asunder, 

 and the broken branches and stems fall to the ground. 

 The rain, at first warded off by the thick canopy of 

 foliage, now falls in torrents ; almost all the inhabi- 

 tants of the forest betray their fear by mournful howl- 

 ing and crying ; the apes, the large bats, and the 

 whole host of birds call loudly together, and the 

 croaking of the tree-frogs and others of this family, 

 sometimes like the sound of a drum, discloses the 

 miseiy of the moment." 



The forms of the palm, the musa, the arborescent 

 gi'asses, fig-trees, orchids, and other parasites and 

 climbing plants, determine the character of the vege- 

 tation of this as of other portions of the equatorial 

 zone. 



Dr. Von Martins describes the bush-ropes of the 

 Brazilian forests on the Organ Mountains, as clinging 

 round the trees, and hanging down from them in 

 graceful festoons. These ropes yield a milky or yel- 

 lowish juice when wounded, and probably belong to 

 the dogbanes or asclepiads. The twining plants, 

 decorated with beautiful green leaves, consist of spe- 

 cies of banisteria, smilax, serjania, and bignonia, 

 voluptuously interlaced and entangled. 



PLATES XIX.— XXI. 



MEDICINAL PLANTS. 

 For page of description, see Index or List of Plates. 



PLATE XXII. 



MEDICINAL PLANTS. 

 Ipeoaouan {Cephcelis ipecacuanha), a plant of the 

 cinchona tribe, with an annulated root, which is tlie 

 ipecacuan of the pharmacopoeias. It is emetic and 

 diaphoretic. — For other figm-es, see Index or List of 

 Plates. 



PLATES XXIII., XXIV. 



SPICE PLANTS. 

 For page of description, see Index or List of Plates. 



PLATES XXV., XXVL 



GUM PLANTS. 



Gum Olibahum, the product of Bosvidlla serrala, 

 a native of India, called also Libanus thurifera. Oli- 

 banum is chiefly used as a grateful incense ; but it 

 possesses also stimulant, astringent, and diaphoretic 

 properties. Arabian frankincense has also been said 

 to be the produce of the same tree, but this is uncer- 

 tain. GUTTA peecha is the produce of Isonandra 

 gutta, a native of Singapore, Borneo, and other Malay 

 islands. It is a large tree, with spongy wood, and 

 leaves of a leathery texture, green on the upper, and 

 orange-yellow on the lower surface. The Malaya 

 destroy the trees in order to get at the juice, instead 

 of collecting it from incisions made in the growing 



