284 NOTES OF A BOTANIST 
ramuli, from which hang almost vertically the large, Pothos-like, 
coriaceous, shining, deep blue-green leaves. A multicaul Artanthe, 
15 to 25 feet high, springs up abundantly in the pastures, where 
trees of it grow at such regular distances, and are so conspicuous 
by their yellow-green foliage, that one would suppose them planted. 
Their ashes afford an excellent lye for soap. On stones by the 
Rio San Antonio grows a stout Peperomia, i to 2 feet high, 
subramose, and putting forth axillary fascicles of slender white 
spadices, which exhale a strong odour of aniseed. When in the 
midst of a dense patch of it, the scent is almost stifling, though 
pleasant enough at a short distance. Peppers are equally plentiful 
in the plains and throughout the wooded slopes of the Andes. 
Lauracece, 3. — All small trees, not exceeding 40 feet; but a 
great many more were observed, including some of the loftiest 
trees of the forest. 
Leguminosce. (Subordo Papilionaceoi\ 3. — Several others were 
observed, but either in poor state or inaccessible. Some of the 
lofty trees with pinnate foliage, which were not seen in flower or 
fruit, probably belong to this order. The commonest Papilionaceae 
is a Mucuna, with herbaceous twining stems, without tendrils, and 
large yellow flowers. It is the first Mucuna I have seen in the 
hills, but it is equally abundant by the river Guayaquil. Five 
species of Erythrina were seen, two at Limon (one of them being 
the same as that gathered at Puma-cocha) and the remaining three 
by the Rio San Antonio. There are also two Phaseoli, one Dioclea, 
and another Phaseolea with slender spikes of small pale yellow 
flowers and hard scarlet seeds, of which I have not yet deter- 
mined the genus. An Indigofera, with small pink flowers, was 
gathered at San Antonio, and the same is frequent in the plain of 
Guayaquil. 
Leguminosce (Subordo Ccesalpiniece\ i. — This fine tribe, so 
abundant in the Amazonian plain, becomes scarce the moment 
we enter the hills, and is very poorly represented in the Bark 
woods. My specimens were gathered from the only tree I saw 
of an obscure-looking Cassia. There is, however, one very fine 
Ctesalpinieous tree, extending up the hills to 4000 feet, but much 
more abundant at 2000 feet. The trunk grows to from 20 to 
60 feet, and the branches each bear a coma of very long, elegant, 
pinnate, pendulous leaves, like those of a Brownea. . . . 
Legu7ninos(E (Subordo MimosecB\ 4. — Three Ingae and one 
Calliandra. Other two Ingae were seen, without flowers. Mimosa 
asperata^ perhaps the commonest of all plants on the muddy 
shores of the Amazon and the river Guayaquil, struggles up the 
Rio San Antonio to the lower limit of the growth of the Red 
Bark, but never seems to flower at that elevation. 
RosacecB, i. — A Rubus, with numerous small flowers, apparently 
distinct from R. Urficcefolius, Poir., which I gathered in Maynas 
