Botanical Notices from Spain, 



ring my stay, although, as was to be expected at this season of the 

 year, with little success. On moist grassy spots blossomed the Ra- 

 nunculus bullatus, L., plentifully; in hedges and under impenetrable 

 bushes of dwarf palms and thorny species of asparagus grew Aristo- 

 lochia bcetica and Melissa Calamintha, and upon the arable fields in 

 great profusion Mandragora officinarum in company with Ecbalium 

 Elaterium. On the sea- shore I met with Glaucium corniculatum in 

 abundance, which had already begun to blossom, or flowered a second 

 time. On the fallow fields the Verbena supina began to shoot up its 

 stalk, and on the adjoining hills the root-leaves of the rare Diplotaxis 

 Prolongi, Boiss., appeared here and there. Upon an excursion into 

 the neighbouring Sierra de Mijas I found Viola arborescens, L., al- 

 ready in full blossom, and the Thymus capitatus, Lk. and HofFm., had 

 also begun to flower. In fissures of the limestone rocks occurred 

 frequent the Lapiedra Martinezii, Lag., but not a single specimen in 

 flower, as well as Cheilanthes odora and Lycopodium denticulatum. 

 Under groups of palms on the loamy plain known by the name of the 

 Dehesilla, between the river Guadalhorce and the sea, I noticed here 

 and there Narcissus serotinus, and some scattered plants of Scilla 

 autumnalis, L. In hedges of Spanish reed in the vicinity of the shore 

 I found tall luxuriant shrubs of Tagetes graveolens, L'Herit., certainly 

 run wild, and especially on the sea- shore often gigantic tree-like 

 specimens oiRicinus communis, L. This is nearly all that can be 

 said of the November flora of Malaga. The coast, which is mostly 

 flat and sandy, presents also but few sea plants, like almost all 

 the flat sandy coasts of the Mediterranean, where, from the absence 

 of a tide, only rarely a few Algce are cast up. 



On the 1 st of December I quitted Malaga, and, favoured by the 

 most glorious spring weather, I travelled on horseback towards 

 Seville ; for the roads between these two cities are only to be found 

 upon the map, but do not exist in reality — not a bit more than roads 

 from Granada and Jaen to Seville ! The corn-fields were already 

 clothed in the most beautiful green, as w^ith us in April, and the 

 blossoms of the almond- trees were already far advanced. Every- 

 where there were still in flower the Mandragora officinarum, as well 

 as Alyssum maritimum and Aristolochia bcetica, whilst the Ranunculus 

 bullatus and Balsamita multifida, Clem., here plentiful, were appa- 

 rently over. Here and there Lavandula multifida was seen in flower, 

 and a small Calendula. In the immediate vicinity of Malaga com- 

 mence arid hills and extensive tracts of uncultivated land, mostly 

 covered with dwarf palms and species of asparagus. Several species 

 of Ulex had already unfolded their beautiful yellow flowers. Beyond 

 the small town of Cardama the land is better cultivated, and the 

 banks of the neighbouring Guadalhorce are in many parts clothed 

 with hedges of orange-trees, which were now loaded with golden 

 fruit, and, together with the perfectly leafless fig- and apple-trees» 

 which are found in great quantities in the intervening space, pre- 

 sented the appearance of summer and winter at the same time. On 

 the branches of the olive-trees, whose shining black fruit the people 

 were busied everywhere in gathering, I remarked frequently the Vis- 



Ann. ^ Mag. N, Hist. Vol.xyi. T 



