From the top of a sandstone hill overlooking the Quetepe spring we had a magnificent view of the sea, Cape Macanao and the Maniquarez peninsula. From our feet an immense jungle stretched out as far as the ocean. The tree-tops, intertwined with lianas and their long tufts of flowers, formed an enormous green carpet whose dark tint increased the brilliancy of the light. This picture struck us more powerfully as it was the first time we had seen tropical vegetation. On the Quetepe hill, under the Malpighia cocollobaefolia, with its hard coriaceous leaves, we collected our first melastoma; especially that beautiful species that goes under the name of Melastoma rufescens, among thickets of Polygala montana. Our memory of this place will remain with us for a long time; the traveler pleasurably remembers those places where for the first time he finds a plant family never seen before in its wild state.