220 The American Naturalist. [March, 
and avicenias. In ascending the hills from the shore the whole 
ground in all directions is covered with apparently withered 
brushes; but on a closer examination it is found that these plants 
are mostly in bloom. The most common brush in this region 
is a Lantana, one of the Verbenacez, and members of the 
Euphorbiacez, Croton for instance. This brushwood grows up 
to a height of 5 feet or 6 feet, rarely 10 feet, and here and there 
are found Algoraba trees about 20 feet high, and also sporadic 
Palo Santos (Guaiacum). The latter is the largest tree in the 
lower region; it reaches a height of 30 feet, and 3 feet in circum- 
ference. On places which do not allow the growth of any other 
plant, the grotesque, tree-like Opuntias and gigantic Cereus are 
found. 
The Cereus is generally seen in the most barren spots. These 
forms give a very characteristic appearance to this region. The 
Opuntia reaches a height of 20 feet, and a thickness of two feet ; 
the Cereus the same proportions. Besides these characteristic 
plants are found Gramineze, Cyperacee, Euphorbiacez, Labiate, 
Compositz, and so on (about fifty to sixty species according to 
Wolf). There are only a few Cryptogamia, the most important of 
which is the Orchilla (Rocella tinctoria), which is found not higher 
than 100m. This is the condition of the vegetation up to 200 m. 
Now other shrubbery, especially Composite, appears; the Algo- 
raba and Palo Santo are of stronger growth; the Lantanas and 
Cactacez disappear. The ground is still more covered with brush- 
wood of the withered aspect. A white Usnea, which hangs in long 
strings from the trees, alone indicates a little more humidity. This 
plant is characteristic of a zone between 200 m. to 270 m., sepa- 
rating the dry and humid region. It is easily distinguished from 
a far distance by its white color. 
When the high plateau between 270 m. to 300 m. is reached, 
the whole scenery changes. A refreshing, moist breeze comes 
from the coast; the traveler is surrounded by green woods and 
stands on meadows. These woods are principally composed of 
about thirty-feet-high trees, of the Sanguisorbacee and Composite, 
of an Andean type. Herr Wolf remarks: Everybody who knows 
fhe flora of Ecuador must be reminded of the mountains of the 
