Botany. 323 
species of Cissus are also common. Out of three Geraniacew there is one 
Monsonia. A species of Ficus, one to two and a-half feet high, yields an 
edible fruit. 
“‘ The dry forests are composed principally of Pittosporum, Tarchonan- 
thus, Echinodiscus, Acacia, Strychnee (Brehmia?), Cassia, Combre- 
tacee, and Proteacec, while the humid forests are formed by Parinarium, 
Syzygium, Erythrina, Nathusia, Ficus, several Olacinece, and a tree 
allied to Poinciana, but which constitutes another genus. I have only 
met with two Hricaceew, and the woody Rubiacee are only represented by 
a species of Ancylanthus and one of Gardenia. There are many woody 
Euphorbiacee not yet determined. A small Phyllanthus grows like 
Salix herbacea, and a Myrsine is found in the less umbrageous forests. 
“The people inhabiting the region are a fine race of hospitable 
negroes, who cultivate the soil and rear cattle. The cereals raised are 
Zea, Sorghum, Eleusine, and Penicillaria.” 
M. de Candolle, in reporting this letter of Mr Welwitsch, remarks :-— 
“The families most abundant at the Cape (Iridacew, Amaryllidacee, 
Santalacew, Composite, Lobeliacew, Euphorbiacee, &c.), or, most charac- 
teristic of Southern Africa (Selaginacew, Cyphiacee, Proteacee, &e.), are 
prolonged towards the equator along the western coast, on account of the 
elevation of the mountains. It is quite different, however, with the 
eastern coast of Africa, where the equatorial vegetation extends towards 
Port Natal (Lat. 30°S.) on account of the warm and humid climate. 
The analogies seem to be less intimate between the elevated parts of 
Benguela and the western part of Southern Africa, than in the eastern 
part between Mozambique and Port Natal. In truth, according to the 
indications of Mr Welwitsch, the analogy seems, in the first of them, to 
be founded on the families and genera, and rarely on the species; while 
in the case of the eastern coast, as in all coasts, the same species extends 
sometimes very far. We may therefore expect to find in the collections 
from Huilla many absolutely new species belonging to genera of different 
countries. 
‘“‘ If any species are found identical with those of the Cape, Abyssinia, 
or even the region of the Mediterranean Sea, it will in all probability be 
in the case of Aquatics, or plants of moist places, or amongst plants 
having a very extended range, as the Cyperacee and Graminee. M. de 
Candolle has already determined the identity of Myrsine africana of the 
Cape, the Azores, and Abyssinia; it is not astonishing that we should 
find it also on the mountains of Benguela. There are also some repre- 
sentations of American plants as regards families and genera. The 
presence in Africa of Cactacee (of the genus Rhipsalis), of Eriocaulons, 
Vellosia, and Rafflesiacee, is an unexpected fact. It seems to point to 
a far distant geological epoch, when there existed a general southern 
vegetation, the remains of which are found in New Holland, South 
America, and South Africa, under the form of Proteacew, Xyridacee, 
Hemodoracee, Eriocaulonacee, Santalacew, Composite, Campanulacee, 
Lobeliacee, Leguminose, &c.—a vegetation once very rich, but reduced 
in each of the three continents to outposts under the form of isolated 
species.”’ 
On the Composition of the Cone of the Conifere. By M. Pu. Partatore. 
—The scales of the cone of Coniferze have been examined by many 
botanists, and various theories have been advanced to explain their 
nature. Botanists have considered the scales of the cones as being a 
single organ modified in different species; some with L. C. Richard, re- 
garding them as bracts, others with R. Brown considering them as carpellary 
leaves ; while others, as Mirbel and Baillon, look upon them as bracts in 
the cypress and as flattened peduncles in pines. The researches of 
Parlatore on the different genera of Abietines and Cupressinex have led 
