152 
Syria may be. divided botannically into seven well marked 
regions. 
1. Zhe dunes. These hills of blown sand are charcterized by 
Glaucium luteum, Tamarix Pallasii, Medicago maritima, Lupinus 
angustifolius, L. tenuis, Euphorbia paralias, Saccharum A®gyptia- 
cum, and Cyperus A‘gyptiacus. 
2 Lhe littoral plain. This is characterized by the gay Ranu- 
culus Asiaticus, with broad scarlet and crimson flowers, Anemone 
coronaria with varieties from white to blue, purple, and scarlet , 
Papaver Syriacum with crimson flowers, shaded at the base of the 
petals with almost black pigment; these three species alone illu- 
minate miles of the landscape of Palestine in early spring time; 
Fumarias with delicate translucent stems, and graceful clusters of 
beautifully tinted flowers; a multitude of Cruciferae, for the most 
part annuals, with inconspicous flowers, but various and often 
beautiful fruits; Capparis spinosa (not the source of the reed on 
which the sponge of vinegar was offered to our, Saviour); Reseda 
alba and R. odorata (run wild); Cistus salviaefolius and Helianthe- 
mum salicifolum; many Sileneae, of. which S, Atocion alone 
covers acres of moist ground in the spring. Most of the Sileneae 
have dry stems, and few of them have attractive flowers; Herniaria 
hirsuta ; a few Malvaceae, among them a poor grade of cultivated 
Cotton, and, of the wild species, the showy Lavatera punctata and 
Althza digitata; Linum Syriacum and L. orientale with yellow 
blossoms and L. pubescens with pink; many Erodiums, as E. 
gruinum, EK. moschatum, several inconspicuous Geraniums; Haplo- 
phyllum Buxbaumii; Vitis vinifera; a multitude of herbaceous 
Leguminosae, especially Medicago, Lotus, Trifolium, Trigonella, 
Melilotus, and Vicieae; a few introduced Acacieae, Parkinsonia 
aculeata, Poinsettia, (near the large cities) [perhaps Poinciana 
is meant.—Eps.]; Calycotome villosa (plaited and sold in Jeru- 
salem as Spina Christi); all the usual Rosaceous trees, Poterium 
spinosum, (another candidate for the position of Spina Christj) ; 
Myrtus communis; a few gay Epilobiums; Lawsonia inermis, 
(the Henna plant, the Camphire of Scripture); Ecbalium Ela- 
terium, the Squirting Cucumber, Citrullus Colocynthis, Bryonias 
with berries; a few Sedums; multitudes of Umbelliferae, many 
with fine, well-marked fruits; Lonicera Etrusca; vast numbers 
of Compositae, many of them horrent with thorns, as Cyclops, Cen- 
taurea, Kentrophyllum; Anagallis arvensis, a variety with large blue 
blossoms and spreading stems; pretty Campanulas ; Cyclamen 
Aleppicum, hiding its bulb in every cleft of rock or inter-space in 
the stone walls of the fields; numerous Plantagos ; one or two showy 
Orobanches and Phelipeas; an Acanthus; several Scrophularias 
Verbascums, Linarias and Antirrhinums; Verbenas; multitudes of 
highly aromatic Labiates, among them Origanum Maru, L., (which 
may be the Hysop that grows on the wall); some scentless Helio- 
tropes, and the weedy types of the Borraginaceae; Convolvuli and 
Evolvuli, the Seammony plant, and sundry Cuscutas; Mandragora, 
Physalis, and several other genera of Solanacee; a few Sabbatias; 
Oleander; Olea; Phytolacca decandra; Chenopodiums, Salsola ; 
