68 



DISTRIBUTION OF PLANTS. 



Mountains, the luxuriant forest gave place to an open Sphagnous bog; 

 over a surface of some acres, presenting a strange local resemblance to 

 far-distant New Jersey: among the usual Cyperi, some Scirpece and a 

 Fuirena were now intermingled, also some grasses ; with here and 

 there a Hahenaria, closely resembling our Northern H. herbiola ; a 

 Xyris ; a normal herbaceous Eupatoriam ; a Gujphea; a Hedyotis ; the 

 Osmunda regalis; Jiissiceas, taking the place of our Northern Lud- 

 wigias; the Sauvagesia, in place of our Northern Lysimachias; two or 

 three herhaceous Melastomacece, corresponding to our Northern Rhexias ; 

 and a showy Rlnncmtho'ul plant. The resemblance was heightened by 

 the aquatic plants of the neighborhood, as Utricidaria, Heterantliera, 

 and Pordedei'ia ; and by the Smilax vines on the adjoining upland. 

 Other Sphagnous bogs on and among the Organ Mountains, contained 

 one or more of the same species of plants; but nowhere so assem- 

 bled, as to again present this local resemblance. 



Independently of bogs, we met with one genus of temperate cli- 

 mates, whose presence could not be traced to mountains : the Hypoxis, 

 growing in the most sunny openings ; a locality, however, partly arti- 

 ficial, a result of the removal of the forest. 



Austral Analogies. On the other hand, several of the genera we 

 met with in Brazil will be observed to be Austral, belonging properly 

 to the temperate and cool portion of the Southern Hemisphere : as 

 Mutida, and Alstroemeria ; Belomgera, the frequent and showy Cunoni- 

 aceous tree; a Fuchsia, growing on the Organ Mountains; as also a 

 lofty Araucaria, representing there the pine tribe. 



By a parallel exception to those mentioned above, the presence of 

 one Austral genus could not be traced to mountains : the Acicarpha, 

 belonging to the Calyceracece, an Austral-American tribe, but a mari- 

 time plant, confined exclusively to the sands of the sea-shore. 



The following List includes all the plants we met with in Brazil, 

 that seemed in any degree connected with or appended to the Moun- 

 tain-Region : 



Ranunculus (No. 22). A small species, observed by Mr. Brackenridge, "growing near 

 March's residence." 



"Yiola" (No. 27). A species said to have been found by Gardner, "within a few hun- 

 dred feet of the highest summit of the Organ Mountains." 

 Hypericum (bis No. 16). Growing by the road-side, beyond the Organ Mountains. 

 (bis No. 17). 



Rubus (bis No. 28). Frequent from the coast to the Organ Mountains. 



