130 



DISTRIBUTION OF PLANTS. 



small species in the clefts of precipitous rocks. — Diminutive Crypto- 

 gamic plants, as HepaticcB and Mosses, were in like manner rare, and 

 confined almost entirely to ravines and wet places ; though it is true, 

 these tribes were particularly sought for only around the melting 

 snow on the Andes. — Lichens were also rare : a Boldoa shrub having 

 some of its leaves overgrown with Lichens, presenting an instance of 

 the long duration of foliage in the Chilian climate, — Fungi too seemed 

 rare. 



AmeiitacecB, unlike the state of things further South in Terra del 

 Fuego, were rare ; consisting only of a species of Salix or willow, 

 growing on the exposed portions of river-beds. — Coniferw were absent, 

 with the exception of an Ephedra. — Ruhiacece, the tribe StelJatcB ex- 

 cepted, were also absent. — Jimcacew were represented only by an 

 Alpine species growing near the snow. — Orchidacece, by only an in- 

 conspicuous species growing near the coast. — Malvaceae were rare. — 

 As also Cyperaceoi. — Primulacece were represented only by Samolus 

 and gen. Anagalloid, both confined to the vicinity of the sea-coast. 



Independent of Tropical Families which it seemed unnecessary to 

 specify, the following tribes of plants were not met with : 



Anonaceaj, 



Crassulaceae, 



(Conifer£e proper), 



Nymphfeaceaj, 



Saxifragese proper, 



Scitaminaceae, 



Capparidacese, 



Araliacese, 



Hajiuodoracece, 



Cistaceas, 



Cornaceae, 



Alismaceae, 



Violaceas, 



CaprifoliaccEe, 



Pontederiaceae, 



Droseraceae, 



Ericacece, 



Melanthaceae, 



Tiliacea3, 



Myrsinacese, 



Smilaceae, 



Ternstroemiacese, 



Ebenaceae, 



Hypoxidaceae, 



Hjpericacese, 



Oleaceae, 



Coiumelinaceae, 



Aceraceog, 



Boraginacefe, 



Araceae, 



Sapindaceaj, 



Gentianaceae, 



Typhaceae, 



Rutaceae, 



the tribe Convolvuleae, 



Naiadaceaj, 



Melastomacese, 



Lentibulariaceae, 



Eriocaulacese, and 



Cucurbitaceae, 



Proteaceae, 



Lycopodiacea). 



Passifloracese, 



Thymeleaceae, 





The absence of bogs and of spongy soil, whether wet or dry, may 

 account in part for the absence of Ericacese, and for the rarity of 

 Australian analogies ; these being traceable only in the abundance of 

 Myrtacem, and in one of the species bearing some general resemblance 

 to a Leptospermum. 



