BLUEFIELDS MOUNTAIN. 
63 
often larger, kidney-shaped, and covered with flexible 
prickles. 
Several of the primitive forest trees have been 
left on each side of the road for the comfort of their 
shadow. The common Cedar {Cedrela odorata)^ 
the Bastard Cedar {Guazuma ulmifoUa), and the 
Fiddlewood are numerous ; a species 
of Coccoloho,, called the mountain grape, and the 
Clammy cherry {Cordia collococca), covered with 
great bunches of scarlet berries, also occur, and two 
or three large Mahogany- trees. Near the summit 
the Mountain Mahoe {Hibiscus tiliaceus), a tall and 
spreading tree, displays its large gorgeous blossoms 
in the season, a mass of scarlet and yellow; and a 
considerable tract on either hand is covered with the 
elegant Bamboo, whose dead and dried leaves com- 
pletely hide the ground, and preclude the intrusion 
of any other plant, where this gigantic reed has once 
obtained possession. Many kinds of flowering shrubs 
fringe the sides of the road ; among which the most 
characteristic is a species of Heliotrope, possessing 
neither beauty nor fragrance. At the elevation of 
about (to speak roughly) 1500 feet, I found growing 
on the bare rock a terrestrial Orchid of much ele- 
gance, a species of Bletia {B, verecunda ?) of a crim- 
son hue, striped with yellow. It was not, however, 
at present in flower ; but the tall grass-like leaves 
were beginning to wither, and young flower-shoots 
were already springing from the sides of the globose 
bulbs. Though very local, being confined to the 
space of a few' yards, it had much increased in that 
spot ; for I obtained upwards of three hundred bulbs. 
