196 



DISTRIBUTION OF PLANTS. 



to familiar Northern genera ; Barisias and Asfragali proving exceed- 

 ingly abundant, together with Valerians and Gnaphaliums ; Eiera- 

 ciums and other Lactucem occurring here and there; also Gentians; 

 Juncacea;, including a Liizula ; Drahas, and other Cruciferm ; incon- 

 spicuous species of Canjophyllacece ; Erigerons ; an Epilohium; various 

 Plantagos; Ranunculi; an Anemone; Rihes ; Carex ; and several 

 species of Aphanes. 



Most unexpectedly, in a climate that had become essentially moist, 

 the Chuguiraga made its appearance ; discordant and out of place, as 

 though created for a different home ; and in f\ict, proving almost the 

 only spinescent plant in the Paramera. There was little else in com- 

 mon with the Austral Andes, where visited in Chili; the only traces 

 of resemblance being the continued presence of AJdea, Ephedra, species 

 of Senecio, and of Baccharis. 



In the midst of the above-described vegetable growth in this chill 

 wintry climate, a few Tropical plants were lingering ; as a Bromelia, 

 extending fairly into the Paramera; two species of Peperomia, in the 

 clefts of rocks; and a lanate Cactus, lying in small bundles to the 

 height of six inches or more, seen only within the limits of the Para- 

 mera. 



Above Cnluay, there is a bend in the Canta Valley; and at the end 

 of about a league, we obtained for the first time since leaving the coast 

 a view of the Andes. The Peak in sight was called " La Vidua," and 

 was situated at the head of the Valley ; its black tracts of rock mid 

 the pure white snow contrasting finely with the freshly-green country 

 out of which it rose. After ascending two leagues farther, the vege- 

 table growth became sensibly more depressed ; evidence, to a botanist 

 at least, that we had reached the border of the alpine region. We 

 estimated the elevation at about fourteen thousand feet ; making the 

 width of the Western division of the Paramera, where we crossed, 

 about nine geographical miles. 



Two days afterwards, from a point some leagues farther North, we 

 descended the Chancay Valley to BaJtos; and the declivity being 

 steeper, the Western division of the Paramera proved there only six 

 geographical miles wide. In both instances, we followed the bottom 

 of a deeply-sunken ravine-like valley : upon the summit of intervening 

 ridges, the Paramera is doubtless much wider. 



The third day, I reascended from BaSos ; not by the bottom of the 

 ravine, but by the Northern flank ; like the opposite one, rugged, 



