IIB Botanical Notices from Spain. 



environs of the Bay of Gibraltar covers all the hills almost exclu- 

 sively, and is as great a favourite for its perfumed blossoms as it is 

 feared for its prickly branches. Everywhere the Cistus albidus, L., 

 unfolded its large rosy blossoms, and in addition there were found 

 the Teucrium fruticans, L., a thorny Genista, and other shrubs in 

 flower. In the hedges of pistachio and oak-copses there grew most lux- 

 uriantly also Vinca media, Tetragonolohus purpureus, Aristolochia bce- 

 tica, Borago officinalis, Phaca batica, and Ruta bracteosa ; and the 

 moist cultivated fields were covered with Scrophularia sambucifolia, 

 Reseda luteola, Fedia Cornucopice, Centaurea pullaia, &c. The marshy 

 lowlands and moors abounded with Asphodelus ramosus ; in the pine- 

 woods lying behind Chiclana grew Tulipa Celsiana, DC, and Scilla 

 vernalis, Huds., in abundance ; less frequent, on sandy spots, Ero- 

 dium Botrys, Bertol. Upon meadows I gathered for the first time 

 the pretty Ranunculus fiabellatus, Desf., which is very frequent in 

 different forms throughout all the hilly district around Cadiz, and 

 also is found in the mountains up to a height of 2000 feet. On 

 sandy places, amongst low shrubs, I noticed some specimens of Lu- 

 pinus luteus, L., which I have nowhere since found ; more plentifully 

 grew here Ophrys apifera, Huds., Orchis longicornu, Poir., Polygala 

 nicceensis, Riss., and a low, spreading Reseda. On clayey fields and in 

 hedges at Couil I observed Aristolochia tonga, L., and on the dry hills 

 and in sandy lowlands around Couil, Iris Sisyrinchium lowered in 

 great abundance. 1'he hills between Couil, Cape Trafalgar and 

 Vejer exhibited a vegetation less rich in species. Large tracts were 

 fiUed with Xewcq/wm trichophyllum, Brot., and in the numerous marshes 

 in the neighbourhood of the Cape, Ranunculus paludosus, Desf. grew 

 plentifully. 



The town of Vejer lies on an abrupt rocky hill of sandstone on 

 the right bank of the Rio Barbate, which issues from the lofty moun- 

 tains of Alcala de los Gazales, and joins the ocean eastward of Cape 

 Trafalgar. On the shady moist sandstone rocks of the mountain and 

 the walls of the town, I observed Targionia Michelii and Lunularia 

 vulgaris in abundance, — the last without fructification. Between 

 Vejer and the sandstone hills of Algeciras, which are connected on 

 the north with those of Alcala, and bound the western shore of the 

 Bay of Gibraltar, lie several chains of sandstone hills running parallel 

 from north to south, over which the road to Algeciras lies. The 

 first of these chains of hills is covered partly with isolated cork-oaks, 

 partly with low bushes, among which an Erica, Vicia biflora, Desf., 

 and a pretty Senecio were frequent. I also gathered here on sandy 

 spots Uropetalum serotinum, Ker., Anchusa ccilcarea, Boiss., a. glabres- 

 cens, and Helianthemum guttatum. P., the last in great plenty. The 

 second more rocky chain of hills, which bears the name of Puerto de 

 Acebuches, is pretty thickly wooded with Olea europcea, var. syl- 

 vestris, and Quercus suber, on whose boughs Polypodium vulgare is 

 very common. On the sandstone rock I remarked here, rare, He- 

 lianthemum Tuberaria, P., and in the underwood Genista linifolia, L., 

 more frequent. Between these two rows of hills and the mountains 

 of Algeciras lies a marshy tract several miles wide, wholly covered 



