190 Botanical Notices from Spain, 



The corn-fields were surrounded with Chrysanthemum coronarium and 

 segetum, L., Anactjclus clavatus, P., A. radiatus, Lois., and other An- 

 themidecB. Under the bushes, between Estepona and Marbella, as 

 well as in the hilly land lying further eastward, occurs, though rather 

 rarely, the beautiful Lupinus hirsutus, L., with Medicago orbicularis, 

 L. Lastly appear in the above-mentioned hilly land, Malva hispa- 

 nica, L., Buphthalmum aquaticum, L., Linum strictum, L., Lin. nar- 

 honnense, L., Lathyrus purpureus, Desf., Tolpis barbata, Gartn., a 

 number of Cistinea, and on moist spots, not rarely, the pretty Impe- 

 rata, as well as, under shady bushes by rivulets. Arum italicum, L. 

 In the country distant a mile from the south-western foot of the 

 Sierra de Mijas, close to the village of Fuengirola, lying on the shore, 

 the mountain recedes fully ten miles from the coast, so as to form an 

 abrupt angle ^^ith the Sierra de Mijas stretching from north-east to 

 south-west. The rugged Sierra Bermeja forms the western bend of 

 this angle, whose highest points may rise about 5000 feet, and which 

 I visited on the 1 8th of April from Fuengirola. The whole space 

 between the coast, the Sierra Bermeja and Sierra de Mijas, includes 

 a variously intersected hilly land, watered by the Rio Gomenaro, 

 which separates these two mountain- chains, and is almost wholly 

 covered by a dense Monte-bajo often taller than a man, consisting 

 principally of Helianthemum glutinosum ? P. On the hills close to 

 the foot of the Sierra Bermeja occurs, very rare, Cistus ladaniferus, 

 which was just beginning to unfold its large white blossoms, and 

 appeared to be not frequent in the country along the coast, whilst, 

 for instance, it almost wholly covers the Sierra Morena. I also 

 found here and there Adenocarpus Telonensis, Gay., in flower. On 

 the rugged walls of rock facing the north and east of the Sierra Ber- 

 meja, covered nearly to its top with shrubs, the splendid Helianthe- 

 mum atriplicifolium, W., began to blossom ; I likewise gathered Se- 

 necio Doronicum, L., var. lanatus, Koch. The Echium jiavum, Desf., 

 occurred but very rarely, and in the clefts of rock Ranunculus grami- 

 neus, L., var. luzulcpfolius, Boiss. ; somewhat more frequent on the 

 rocks of the summit, Valeriana tuberosa, DC, and the pretty Saa:i- 

 fraga gemmulosa, Boiss. Lastly, 1 found at several hundred feet 

 below the highest summit on the south side a splendid Stipa, and in 

 shady clefts of the rock at the foot of the mountain the delicate Are- 

 naria retusa, Boiss. The northern declivity of the chain is for the 

 most part wooded with cork-oaks. 



On the following day my way led me through the lowest and most 

 southern part of the Sierra de Mijas, as this mountain-chain between 

 Fuengirola and Torremolinos stretches to the sea, and in part de- 

 scends abruptly in rocks into the sea. In corn-fields around Fuen- 

 girola I for the first time observed Vicia vestita,V>o\s,^., which occurs 

 very plentifully in the environs of Malaga. On the rocky high 

 table-land between Torremolinos and Chuniana blossomed Cladan- 

 thus proliferus, DC, in company with Anacyclus clavatus. P., Galac- 

 tites tomentosa, Much., and Phlomis purpurea, L., in great abundance. 

 The last is one of the commonest plants of the warm region in An- 

 dalusia. 



