R. Schomburgk^ Dr. Phil. 89 
At the beginning of the rainy season these plants assume 
new life in a very short time, and generally flower before 
their foliage appears. 
The savanna then appears in the same luxuriant green 
carpet as fresh and beautiful as any northern country can 
produce. With the grass recalled to new life, appear also the 
large fragrant flowers of the Neurocarpum longifolium^ Mart.; 
Pavonia speciosa Humb. and Bonpl. ; Myrica, Iris, Com- 
melyna, Jacquemontia, Amasonia erecta, with its magniflcent 
red and yellow bracts, whole tracts of the tender Abolboda, 
Aubletii, and Schultesia, whose delicate blue and pink 
flowers appear like flower beds from among the grass, and 
above which rise like white stars the scented flowers of the 
Hippeastrum, the quaintly-formed flowers of the terrestrial 
orchids, as Sabenaria, Stenorhynchus, attract the attention. 
Tender Phaseolus and CKtorias climb up the yellow haulms 
of the last year’s grass which project from the green carpet, 
and quickly develop their large flowers, and every day adds 
new wonders ; Fugosia, Hibiscus unfold their large sulphur 
yellow and violet flowers. 
The small isolated groups of Myrtaceae are covered 
with their snow white flowers, whilst the Malpighiaceae, 
Cassioe, the Palicourea rigida, one of the most common 
shrubs of the savanna, glitter in their yellow cloth of flowers. 
In their neighborhood are found the elegant shrubs of the 
Casearia stipularis and C.petraea, which, from the insigniflcance 
of their flowers, are not attractive ; but, nevertheless, make a 
favorable impression by their elegant foliage. The flowering 
Melastomaceae have their branches entwined by magnificent 
Alstroemerias and Bomareas, 
The isolated small stunted trees of the savanna, as Cura- 
tella americana, bring forth their insignificant whitish green 
flowers; the Bowdichia major its magnificent blue flowers; 
the Psidiums and Myrtus their white, and the Rhopola nitida 
appearing here and there on stony tracts wdth its vanilla- 
scented flowers. 
Mimosas, Bauhinias, Eugenias, Lantanas are seen along the 
borders of the oases. Amongst them the scarlet flowers of 
the Helicteres guazumaefolia, Humb. and Bonpl., shine forth, 
whilst the gaudy Bignonias and Passifloras form a most charm- 
ing drapery. The lonidium Itoubou, Humb. and Bonpl., 
extends along the border of the oases, with a snow white 
belt of its peculiar flowers, interspersed here and there bj^ 
the yellow of the Hypoxis. Looking along the rivers, 
