The Llanos of Caraccas, and of the Rio Apure and the Meta, over which roam immense herds of cattle, are, in the strictest sense of the term, says Humboldt,[114] "grassy plains." Their prevalent vegetation, belonging to the two families of Cyperaceæ and Gramineæ, consists of various species of _Paspalum_, _P. leptostachyum_ and _P. linticulare_; of _Kyllingia_, of _Panicum_, _Anthephora_, _Aristida_, _Vilfa_, and _Anthistiria_. Only here and there are found, interspersed among the Gramineæ, a few herbaceous dicotyledonous plants, consisting of two very low-growing species of Mimosa (Sensitive Plant)--Mimosa intermedia and Mimosa dormiens--which are great favourites with the wild horses and cattle. The natives give to this group of plants, which close their delicate feathery leaves on being touched, the expressive name of _Dormideras_--"sleepy plants." Nota tree is visible for miles; but where solitary individuals occur, they are, in moist places, the Mauritia Palm; in arid districts, a Protacea--namely, the _Rhopula complicata_; also the highly useful Palma da Corija, or de Sombrero; and our _Corypha inermis_, an umbrella palm, whose leaves are used to thatch the roofs of huts. The Mauritia palm, Palm Moriche, _Mauritia flexuosa_, Quiteve, or Ita palm--for by any or all of these names it is known--belongs to the family of _Lepidocaryeæ_. The trunk grows as high as 26 feet, but it probably requires from 120 to 150 years to reach this height. It extends high up on the declivity of the Duida Mountains, and forms in moist places beautiful groups of a shining emerald verdure, like that of our European alder groves. The trees preserve the humidity of the ground by their shade, and hence the Indians say that the Mauritia draws the water round its roots by a mysterious attraction. From its tops the Indians frequently suspend their hammocks to escape the attacks of the mosquitoes. Sir Walter Raleigh was the first who brought to England this fruit of the Mauritia palm, which he very justly likened, on account of its scales, to a fir cone. [Illustration: VEGETABLE LIFE IN THE PLAINS OF THE META. 1. Anthephora elegans. 3. Anthistiria ciliata. 2. Panicum Cajennense. 4. Aristida capillacea. 5. Cyperus articulatus.]