THE EQUATORIAL FORESTS 43 
nothing in our flora comparable to the large tubular 
flowers of some Posoqueriae and Randiae ; but the 
general aspect of the flowers of many species is not 
ill conveyed by the lilac ; others are exceedingly 
like the honeysuckle ; and the small - flowered 
species of Lonicera have almost exact analogues 
among Rubiads. Our privet well represents the 
bushy Psychotriae, which, along with Melastomes, 
abound everywhere as undergrowth. 
An English botanist misses altogether in Amazon 
forests most of the familiar forms of his native land ; 
he sees no firs nor yews ; no catkin-bearing trees, ex- 
cept a solitary willow ; no heaths, roses, berberries, 
Crucifers, Umbellifers, etc.; but he comes on the 
relatives of many old acquaintances in an entirely 
unexpected garb. Violets, for instance, grow to be 
trees or woody twiners, mostly with small flowers ; 
but their analogues, the Vochysiads, besides being 
among the noblest of trees, have large richly- 
coloured and sweetly-scented flowers. Milkworts, 
whose flowers always bear an unmistakable re- 
semblance to the Polygala vulgaris of our moors, 
are sparingly represented by a few minute herbs ; 
but far more copiously by robust woody twiners 
(Securidaca, etc.) climbing to the tops of the loftiest 
trees, and as they descend thence hanging out 
garlands of purple or white flowers. 
Although I have here grouped together some of 
the more showy types of flowers, I must repeat 
what 1 have already said, namely, that the great 
mass of the trees of the forest, and even many of 
the lianas, bear inconspicuous flowers ; such vast 
orders, for instance, as Laurels and Terebinths ; and 
others, like Chrysobalans, exceedingly numerous in 
