86 CRUISE OF THE BARRERA 



by the botanist — a perfect wilderness of rich, lush, 

 bright green vegetation. 



An abundant tree on Azucar is the Gliricidia 

 platycarpa with compound leaves and bearing 

 a pink flower very similar in form to our own 

 sweet-pea blossom. Among other flowering trees 

 there is an Erythrina, also with large compound 

 leaves, which bears long clusters of dazzling scarlet 

 bloom. They illumine the dark green of the 

 forest like elfin beacons. Another tree of very 

 scant foliage bears a vivid yellow flower growing 

 directly from the trunk or larger branches — a pe- 

 culiarity quite startling to the northern beholder. 

 Another yellow flower is that borne by the vine, 

 Mucuna wens, an abundant creeper throughout 

 the sierra, which climbs to the top of the tallest 

 trees. These flowers hang in clusters and are 

 succeeded by large prickly seed pods in which 

 nestle the red and black "sea beans." These 

 beans, when washed down to the sea, float in- 

 definitely, and many of them are eventually 

 cast up on the Florida beaches. When pol- 

 ished they are sold for ornaments or charms 

 against evil fortune. It is generally understood 

 that no one carrying a sea bean in his pocket can 



