4 
NOTES OF A BOTANIST 
CHAP. 
thickish Imba-uba (Cecropia) has the bark mottled with red and 
white as in the Bread-fruit tree. In some places is an Anonaceous 
tree, about 30 feet high, with a profusion of flowers in small 
axillary clusters on the upper side of the long branchlets. The 
solitary tall Assai palm is very scarce, occurring only towards the 
mouth of the Coary. 
A remarkable tree occurs below Coary, 50 feet high, the top 
spreading, the lanceolate pale green leaves clustered on the ends 
of slender twigs, the flower-stalks long, descending then ascend- 
ing, growing on the main branches and trunk nearly to the base, 
fruits pendent, globular, size of an orange, but said when ripe to 
be much larger, having a hard shell with four seeds. It is probably 
a species of Couroupita (Lecythidese). 
Much wild Cacao is seen on the margins and as far within as 
the inundation extends — conspicuous from its young red leaves. 
There is generally much Castanha (Brazil-nut) in the forests. 
At Tabatinga I gathered flowers of a small Composite tree 
growing 6 to 1 5 feet high and looking very like a willow. It is 
the Tessaria legitima^ DC, and had been noticed from the mouth 
of the Japura upwards. 
A Serjania (Sapindaceae) w^ith large masses of red capsules is 
now very frequent, and a low Copaifera in flower grows here and 
there by the water's edge. The Pao Mulatto continues very 
abundant and our firewood consists wholly of this species. There 
is no handsomer tree in the gapo. It sometimes reaches near 
100 feet high. It is branched from about the middle, and the 
top forms a narrow inverted cone. The surface of the trunk and 
branches is somewhat wavy or corrugated, but the bark is quite 
smooth and shining. When I went to Manaquiry in June 185 1 the 
trees were shedding their bark, the process being a longitudinal split- 
ting up in one or more places, and a rolling back from both edges of 
the rupture. The young bark thus exposed is green, but it speedily 
assumes a deep bronze or leaden hue, and finally a chestnut 
colour — hence its name.^ Some small Rubiaceous trees have the 
same property ; for instance, Eiii'osmia corymbosa and a tree in 
the forest at Yurimaguas, with leaves resembling those of a Nona- 
telia, but the bark is greener than that of the Pao Mulatto. With 
this latter tree, on the Solimoes, frequently grows the Castanheiro 
do Macaco, with globular brown fruits, probably a species of 
Couroupita. 
March 27. — At 4 p.m. we reached Tabatinga, 
the frontier town of Brazil, situated on the north 
^ [This tree was, later, collected by Spruce, and being new was named by 
Mr. Bentham Enkylista Spruceana. It belongs to the Cinchonacese.] 
Journal 
