SCHOUW'S PHYTO-GEOGEAPHIC REGIONS. 687 



J unci, and Oarices, besides some European genera belonging to the 

 orders Graminese and Cichoraceae, such as Bromus, Festuca, Poa, 

 Apargia, and Hypochseris. Mean temperature, 34° to 59° F. 



19. The West 'Indian Region (Swartz's Region). — This includes 

 the whole district of the Great and Little Antilles. Bananas, Plan- 

 tains, Mangos, Guava, Avocado-Pear, Tamarind, and many other 

 useful plants, are met with. The Flora is intermediate between that 

 of Mexico and the northern parts of South America. Ferns and 

 Orchids prevail. Many tropical fruits are met with, such as 

 Mango, Guava, Avocado-Pear, and Custard- Apple. Mean temperar 

 ture, 59° to 79° F. Cultivated plants the same as those in the 

 fifteenth region. 



20. Region of Palmas and MelastomacesB. — It embraces Brazil and 

 that part of South America which lies to the east of the chain of the 

 Andes, between the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn. The vege- 

 tation is very luxuriant. Vellozia and Lichnophora give a decided 

 feature to the vegetation of some of the mountainous parts. Here, 

 iilso, numerous large peculiar species of Eriocaulon occur. Species of 

 Croton, Dorstenia, and Helieonia, tall grasses, arborescent Solanums, 

 Vernonias, and large Compositse, species of Ficus, Laurus, Lasiandra, 

 Solandra, and Fuchsia, are also met with. In place of the few 

 mosses and lichens which cover the trunks and branches of forest 

 trees in temperate climes, in Brazil they are bearded from the roots 

 to the very extremities of the smallest branches with Ferns, Aracese, 

 Tillandsias, Cactuses, Orchids, Peperomias, Gesneras, and Bignonias. 

 Mean temperature, 59° to 84° F. Same plants cultivated as in the 

 fifteenth region. 



21. The Region of Arborescent or Shrubby Compositse, Extrar 

 tropical South American Flora (St. Hilaire's Region). — The great 

 number of arborescent Compositse, and of plants belonging to the 

 order Calyceracese, forms the chief feature of this Flora, which ap- 

 proaches in a remarkable manner to that of Europe, whilst it differs 

 entirely from the floras of OhUi, the Cape, and Australia. This 

 region comprehends the lower part of the basin of La Plata, and the 

 plains which extend to the west of Buenos Ayres and Chili, between 

 the Tropic of Capricorn and latitude 40° south. The Flora of Chili 

 approaches that of Australia, the Cape of Good Hope, and New Zea- 

 land, in Goodenia, Araucaria, Proteacese, Gunnera, Ancistrum. In 

 many respects the flora resembles that of the mountainous districts, 

 in the presence of Calceolarias, Escallonias, species of Weinmannia, 

 Buddlea, and Campanula. Araucaria imbricata, the Banksian or 

 ■ChUi Pine, is a hardy Conifer of this district, extending on the Chilian 



