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composed of the debris of volcanic matter, of calcareous 
rocks, or of sandstone; but it varies far more according 
to the elevation of the land, which gives rise to at least 
six different botanical zones, which are thus described by 
Dr. Bleeker:—“ On the low coast-lands we find superb 
palms, bananas, aroids, Amaranthaceae, papilionaceous 
plants, and poisonous Euphorbiaceae. Scarcely do we 
ascend 1000 feet above the sea when our eyes are 
struck by the quantity of ferns which already prepon¬ 
derate over other plants, and here, too, we find magnifi¬ 
cent groves of slender bamboos. The farther we ascend 
the greater is the change in the aspect of the vegetation. 
Palms and leguminous plants become rare, and bamboos 
less abundant. In place of these we find forests of Ficus , 
with their tall trunks, spreading branches, and" thick 
foliage, overshadowing more lowly trees and a variety of 
humble plants, and exhibiting a majesty which even sur¬ 
passes in splendour the palms of the coast. Here, too, 
the ferns increase in number, and beautiful tree-ferns 
abound, often covering the sides of the valleys with their 
aerial crowns of fronds. Orchideous plants now present 
themselves in considerable numbers, clothing the old trees 
with a parasitic vegetation. Higher still the figs are 
mingled with gigantic Liquidambars, with white trunks. 
To the Orchidese are added the curious Nepenthes, or 
pitcher-plants, while the numerous ferns are accompanied 
by Loranthacese and elegant Melastomas. Above these 
comes the region of oaks and laurels, and here the Mela¬ 
stomas and orchideous plants become still more abundant, 
while the vegetation receives a new ornament in the 
elegant Ereycinetias, which are found as pseudo-parasites, 
rubiaceous plants being at the same time abundant, grow¬ 
ing by themselves, and flourishing in the shade. There 
is but one region above that of oaks and laurels, where 
