CHAPTER I 



NOTES ON THE ASPECT OF THE VEGETATION OF 

 CURACAO, ARUBA AND BONAIRE. 



The general impression of the vegetation of the islands Curagao, 

 Aruba and Bonaire is that of a dry country, where thorny shrubs 

 and cactuses predominate and more or less compete with each 

 other. 



When, e.g. on Bonaire we climb one of the hills of the Western 

 part, we see there in their purest, intact condition the pretty 

 thick bushes of shrubs, from which tree-shaped Cereus species 

 rise to a great height. 



Since everywhere in the three islands a strong N.E. monsoon 

 blows incessantly, the climate is rather dry and there is generally 

 not much variation between high and low, also the vegetation has 

 everywhere a rather uniform aspect. 



Excepting a few less exposed parts and the higher tops of CuraQao 

 and Bonaire, the whole vegetation may be said to have a more 

 or less xerophile character; in many places where the soil is covered 

 bij hardly any humus, as on the numerous limestone tablelands, 

 it becomes a very poor vegetable cover, made up chiefly of Cactaceae, 

 some Rubiaceae and Euphorbiaceae with sparse Gramineae; a 

 scanty' cover is also found on the diabase hills in the East of 

 Curagao and in the Northern middle part of Aruba, where a few 

 Gramineae, a poor Corchorus and Heliotropium shrubs form the 

 widely scattered vegetation. In the more sheltered parts or where 

 more humus is found and cattle does not graze off everything, the 

 whole surface is covered with rather low shrubs and low trees, 

 among which especially Leguminosae prevail; nearly everywhere 

 the soil is clearly visible and not covered by a connected vege- 

 tation. 



In the lower parts, in the neighbourhood of the jHofjes", meadows 

 are often found and the plant-cover is more coherent. 

 In the sheltered parts tree-growth is more prominent and 

 where shrubs are found Acacia tortuosa is always noticed ; Cactuses 



