By Mr. Theodore Hartweg. 



attains the height of 100 feet, and is often 4 feet in diameter. P. 

 pseudostrobus also grows in the same situation, and may be easily 

 distinguished at a distance by its long slender branches diverging 

 at a right angle from the main stem, as in the species of the section 

 Strobus ; its chief range is about 8,000 feet, while that of P. leio- 

 pliylla is a few hundred feet lower. On an excursion to the " Cam- 

 panario " the highest point of the mountains of Angangueo, I saw 

 some remarkably fine trees of the "Oyamel " or Abies religiosa, 5 to 

 6 feet in diameter and rising to the height of 150 feet. Its chief 

 range is about 9000 feet above the sea ; beyond that elevation its place 

 is supplied by Pinus Hartwegii rising to the height of 40 to 50 feet. 

 With the latter I found Veratrum frigidum, the leaves of which are 

 poisonous to cattle, Microstylis macrostacJiya and Juniperns mexi- 

 cana, the latter forming a small straggling shrub three feet high* 



On the 30th of October, 1838, I arrived at Real del Monte, 

 after having crossed once more the high table land of Mexico, but as 

 usual without finding much to reward me. The town of Real del 

 Monte, being situated at an elevation of above 8,000 feet, is sur- 

 rounded by high ground, of which the " Sumate," the highest 

 peak, rises to the height of 9,500 feet above the level of the sea, 

 the country around being well wooded with a great variety of Oaks 

 and Pines. On the eastern declivity of the Real del Monte chain 

 of mountains is the deep ravine of Mestitlan, commonly called 

 " Barranca grande," which from its chalky soil is a favourite haunt 

 for Cactacece. It is the only habitat of Cereus senilis, that I am 

 acquainted with in Mexico, the largest plants of which, attaining a 

 height of 24 feet, give the scenery a very singular appearance. On 

 another excursion to the natural bridge called * Puente de Dios 

 I found Spircea parvifolia, Quercus petiolaris, Lindleya 

 piloides, the latter forming a slender shrub 10 to 12 feet high, and 

 the pretty little Mammillaria Schiedeana with seems quite station- 

 ary there, having no where else been met with. 



* The articles collected about Angangueo, consisting of seventeen so s ^ 

 seven kinds of bulbs and roots, and three species of Epiphytes never reac e ng n 



vies- 



