190 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
^' Fancy " Sorts, and such profuse bloomers as Ne 
Plus Ultra, Unique, and doubtless some of the 
better Scarlets, are well adapted for the purpose — 
the latter especially, if well carried out, we think 
would lend an additional charm of brilliancy to 
that which Pelargonium exhibitions already so per- 
minently possess. 
Seeman's Botanical Notes. Leaving Panama, 
we spent several days at Taboga, the most de- 
lightful island in the bay. In its centre rises a 
hill about 1000 feet high, cultivated with useful 
fruit and vegetables nearly to the summit, send- 
ing down little streams to the valley, where be- 
tween palms and tamarind trees, the habitations 
of natives are almost hid. Walking among the 
Mammee and Orange-groves, seeing the Nispero, 
the Alligator-pear, and the Mango-trees, loaded 
with fruit, or admiring the extensive Pine-apple 
plantations on the side of the stony hills, fancy 
transports the stranger into the garden of the 
Hesperides ; but, however gratifying to the sense 
such a place appears, a collector is little benefited 
by it ; and I was, therefore, glad to exchange Ta- 
boga for the coast of Yeraguas, a more profitable 
field for botanical investigation. 
I disembarked at Remedies, a large village, and 
the first thing we saw there, were some men 
making ropes. The cordage generally used in the 
Isthmus is obtained from different plants belonging 
to Columniferce. The best and whitest ropes are 
made of the fibre of " Corteza " {Apeiba Ptoumo, 
Aubl.) A brownish looking rope easily afifected 
by damp (probably because the tree it is taken 
from contains much saline principle) is manufac- 
tured of " Magagna de playa" (Hibiscus arboreus) ; 
and a third kind is obtained from Barrigon" 
an undescribed tree, which I have called Bombcux 
Barrigon. The Xylopia sericea, St. Hil., also 
yields a fibre fit to be made into ropes. It is on 
that account named " Malaguetto Nembra " by the 
natives, to distinguish it from Malaguetto macho, 
(^Xylopia grandijlora, St. Hil.,) which is destitute 
of such a quality. 
From Eemedios our road led through an immense 
virgin-forest, the Montana de Corcha. It was here 
that we discovered a new species of Pentagonia, 
with leaves like that of P. pinnatijida, so that we 
know three species of this interesting genus. 
They are equally distributed over the Isthmus. 
P. pinnatijida occupies the province of Darien ; 
P. macrophylla, Benth., that of Panama; while 
P. Tinagita, as this third species might be called, 
is indigenous to Veraguas. The native name 
" Tinagita," is taken from the fruit, which re- 
sembles the water-jars (tinagas) used in the country. 
Mr. Bentham in establishing the genus, placed 
it amongst Rondeletice, supposing a bilocular cap- 
sule to be its fruit ; but as Pentagonia has a bilo- 
cular berry, the inside of which is eatable, the 
Gardenice is the tribe of which it must be con- 
sidered a member. The Pentagonias growing in 
shady places on the banks of rivers and rivulets, 
are small trees, {arbusculoi), from 10 to 14 feet 
high, with leaves generally from 1 to 3 feet long, 
by 6 to 10 inches in diameter, red bracts, calyces, 
and corollas, and berries eatable, like those of the 
rest of the tribe — the Oenipas, Posoquerias, &c. 
A tree whose bark is employed against fever and 
tooth-ache, and known by the Indian appellation 
of " Corpaclii," is frequently met with in the woods. 
I take it to be Croton Pseudo-China. 
We reached the town of David on the 14th of 
February, and proceeded next day to Boqueti, a 
farm situated on the volcano of Chiriqui, 4000 feet 
above the level of the sea, from whence I made 
excursions in the neighbourhood, of which the 
collections transmitted are the produce. Although 
I had visited the place last year, I found now a 
number of plants unknown to me, and by a longer 
stay, a great many more might be obtained. 
The volcano of Chiriqui, the most elevated part 
of the Isthmus of Panama, is about 7000 feet high, 
and presents a vegetation similar to that of the 
highlands of Mexico. The Oak and Elder are 
predominant. The genera Salvia, Lopezia, Eubus, 
Fuchsia, Centradenia, Ageratum, Conostegia, Lu- 
pinus, Hypericum, Freziera, Galium, Equisetum, 
Euphorbia, Adiantum, Begonia, Clematis, Yerbena, 
Inga, Solanum, Rhopala, &c, are represented by 
one or more species. There are also several genera 
apparently new. One belonging to EccremocarpecB, 
has an inflorescence like that of Castilleja vulgaris. 
A second, a Rubiacece, has remarkably long leaves, 
from 1 to 2 feet long, and bears greenish flowers. 
The two Vaccinece found here, do not seem to be 
described. One is a small tree with a rose-coloured 
raceme. The other approaches Macleania, but 
the calyx is smooth, 
A tree very common in these regions, vernacu- 
larly termed " Saumerio," produces a resin that is 
used in churches as incense. To obtain it, the 
tree is felled, and when in a state of decay the 
balsam is found collected in the branches — the 
stem itself does not contain any. A Rondeletia 
growing here to the height of 18 feet, we found to 
have a bark that might be substituted for Casca- 
rilla. It is very bitter ; but the taste does not 
communicate itself so quick, as is the case with 
Cinchona bark. — Hook. Jour, of Bot, p. 185. 
Tomato tree. This valuable plant forms a 
shrub of a moderate height, the leaves are large, 
broad, heart-shaped, downy, and emit a very heavy 
unpleasant smell. As a species, it is nearly allied 
to Solanum Betaceum, if it be not identical with 
it. The fruit is the size and form of a pigeon's egg, 
of a rich brownish red colour, with a purplish sub- 
acid pulp, very agreeable to the taste. 
Yegetation in Ceylon. Although many of the 
genera found in the upland regions of Ceylon are 
such as are common in Europe, yet none of the 
Ceylon species are identical with European ones ; 
indeed, there is not to be found growing really 
wild in the island, a single species exactly the same 
as any European one ; there are, however, a few 
which have become more or less naturalised, having 
been introduced along with garden and other seeds. 
They are the common Sow Thistle {Sonchus olera- 
ceus), the common Chickweed [Stellaria media), 
the Mouse-ear Chickweed {Cerastium vulgatum), 
the Corn Spurry (Spergula arvensis), and the 
annual Meadow Grass {Poa annua). All these, 
with the exception of the first, which is much more 
general, are confined to the plain of Neweria-Ellia. 
In all countries, plants which are introduced from 
