Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 82.djvu/31

Rh northern bogs. A very beautiful blue bell-gentian was common. This does not belong to the genus Gentiana, but to a related one, Chilonanthus. A few ferns were noted, among them the ubiquitous Pteris aquilina. The shrubby plants belonged mostly to the distinctly tropical families Malpighiaceæ, Melastomaceæ, Bubiaceæ and others.

Among the showiest flowers collected near the savanna, but at the margin of the forest, was an extremely beautiful rubiaceous shrub, which was not determined. Its large rose-colored bell-shaped flowers were produced in great profusion, and were most ornamental. A large purple Clitoria, an extremely showy papilionaceous creeper, was also common.

Much the most striking plant of the savanna, however, is a magnificent fan-palm, Mauritia fiexuosa, which occurs in groves of considerable size, making a very imposing sight.

Adjoining the savanna was a fairly dense forest, with comparatively dry soil, although there were numerous clear streams, deep amber brown in color, and in places it was decidedly boggy. As in all the forests, the palms formed the most conspicuous feature of the undergrowth. Ferns and liverworts were more abundant than in the forests near Paramaribo, and at the base of some of the trees a small Trichomanes was not uncommon, the only Hymenophvllaceæ that were collected. An interesting tree of this forest was the "Balata," a species of Mimusops which yields rubber of fair quality, which is collected in considerable quantities by the natives. There also occurs a species of Hevea, which, however, is much inferior in its product to the Para rubber tree. A not uncommon plant of this forest—and also seen repeatedly elsewhere—is Ravenala Guianensis, much resembling the well-known "traveller's palm," R. Madagascariensis. There was also the usual profusion of other Scitamineæ.

The flora of Surinam is remarkable for the abundance of showy flowers—not a usual condition of things in the wet tropics. Among the most conspicuous of these are many splendid climbing plants—especially various Bignoniaceæ, Apocynaceæ, Convolvulaceæ and Passifloraceæ. Some of these, like the golden yellow Allamandas and crimson and rose-colored passion flowers, were truly magnificent. There were also many showy shrubs, especially various Rubiaceæ, Malpighiaceæ and Melastomaceæ.

Of the herbaceous plants probably the showiest are the very abundant Heliconias. These look much like Cannas—or the larger ones like bananas—and their scarlet and yellow inflorescences are extremely brilliant. There were also great masses of red and yellow Cannas, and other showy Scitamineæ—e. g., Costus, Maranta, Thalia, etc. These brilliant flowers occurred in great masses along the margins of the forest, and the railway embankment was a veritable botanical garden.