MR. BUNBURY ON THE BOTANY OF TENERIFFE. 25 



orbicularis and minima, Plant ago Lagopus, Bromus Madritensis, 

 and many more. 



The rugged cliffs eastward of the town, and the mouths of the 

 little valleys that intersect them, afford an abundance of curious 

 and interesting plants. One is struck at first sight with the 

 peculiarity of the flora ; one sees at once that it is far more 

 exotic than that of Madeira, and has much less in common with 

 Europe, whether in its general physiognomy or its specific details. 

 The uncouth Euphorbia Canariensis*, one of the most abundant 

 plants on the sea-cliffs and on all the rocky and rugged parts of 

 the coast, up to the tops of the hills commanding Santa Cruz, 

 immediately reminds us of the South- African flora ; it has indeed 

 a very close resemblance to the numerous succulent and prickly 

 Euphorbias which form a material part of the extraordinary vege- 

 tation of Caffraria. 



The singular and graceful Plocama pendula, another of the most 

 abundant and characteristic plants of the coast near Santa Cruz, 

 is, on the contrary, a thoroughly peculiar Canarian type, not con- 

 nected with any other flora. The two other plants which espe- 

 cially characterize this part of the coast, and which, together with 

 the two just mentionedt, give to it its distinctive botanical phy- 

 siognomy, are the Kleinia neriifolia and Euphorbia piscatoria ; 

 the latter resembling, on a greater scale, the Euphorbia dendroides 

 of the Mediterranean, while the Kleinia, which has the look of a 

 Dragon-tree in miniature, is a truly African type. When, as often 

 happens, the Elocama and the Kleinia grow in close contact with 

 the clumps of Euphorbia Canariensis, the effect is singular; the 

 light weeping form and lively green colour of the Plocama being 

 strongly contrasted with the grey hue and gouty branches of the 

 Kleinia, and with the stiff columns of the Euphorbia. 



Other plants, which, by their abundance, particularly charac- 

 terize this part of the coast, are Artemisia argentea%, Chrysanthe- 

 mum foeniculaceum, and the beautiful Lavandula abrotanoides. 

 Fagonia Cretica also grows along the edges of the cliffs, as well 

 as Aizoon Canariense, Plantago amplexicaulis, Lotus sessilifolius, 

 JBortulaca oleracea, and a pretty little Cyperus, which one is sur- 

 prised to see flourishing on such arid rocks. 



* This plant is admirably well described by Yon Buch. 



t The physiognomy of these four plants is extremely well represented in the 

 plates to Webb and Berthelot's great work. 



X The people call it Incienso, and consider it an excellent remedy for colds 

 and headaches. 



