xxiv 



hundred and fifty species of melastomacea, 

 which we collected during the course of 

 our expeditions, and which form one of 

 the most beautiful ornaments of tropical 

 vegetation. Mr. Bonpland has added the 

 plants of the same family, which, among so 

 many other rich stores of natural history, 

 Mr. Richard collected in his interesting ex- 

 pedition to the Antilles and French Gui- 

 ana, and of which he has communicated to 

 us the descriptions. 



IV. Essay on the geography of plants, 

 accompanied with a physical table of the 

 equinoctial regions, founded on measures 

 taken from the tenth degree of northern 

 to the tenth degree of southern latitude *. 

 I have endeavoured to collect under a 

 single point of view the whole of the phy- 

 sical phenomena of that part of the New 

 Continent, comprised in the torrid zone, 

 from the level of the South Sea to the 

 highest summit of the Andes; namely, the 



* This work, printed for the first time in 1806, will 

 be reprinted with additions, and form part of the fifth 

 division of the complete collection, under the title of 

 General Physics, I have explained the first ideas of 

 the geography of plants, their natural associations, and 

 the history of their migrations, in my Flora, &c. 



