118 Botanical Notices from Spain, 



both coming from the Sierra de Gazales, which empty themselves in 

 the furthermost northern part of the bay. This hilly land is, as al- 

 ready observed, exclusively covered with Calycotome villosa, Lk., and 

 a Genista ; frequently are seen also large patches of Chamcerops hu- 

 milis, and, more seldom, a Sarothamnus. On somewhat moist places 

 and under bushes grows everywhere Allium triquetrum, L., and also 

 Bellis sylvestris, Cyr.,B, annua, L., Ranunculus jflabellatus,Desf., Ru- 

 mex bucephalophorus, L., a small blue-flowered Linum, especially in 

 the scattered copses of Pinus picea, also Hedysarum coronarium, L., 

 Ophrys apifera, Huds., more rarely and only on limestone, Ophrys 

 lutea, Cav., several Cancer and grasses, SalviaVerbenaca, L., Anthyllis 

 tetraphylla, L., Calendula arvensis, Alyssum maritimum, Cerastium glo- 

 meratum, Cerinthe major, Corriyiola littoralis, &c. Large patches were 

 covered with Pteris aquilina, especially along the foot of the moun- 

 tain ; whilst in the moist lowlands and marshes grew Juncus acutus, 

 Heleocharis palu^tris and Carices in abundance, rarely Alisma ranun- 

 culoides, L. From Algeciras, where I arrived on the evening of March 

 22nd, I made various excursions into this hilly district as well as to 

 the neighbouring sierra. In one of these, in which I ascended one of 

 the highest summits of the chain, the Cerro Comodre, I for the first 

 time met with the splendid Drosophyllum lusitanicum, Lk., unfortu- 

 nately not yet in blossom, but in great profusion. It covers the 

 whole northern acclivity of the above-named mountain, which con- 

 sists of arid boulders of sandstone, where it occurs, in company with 

 a beautiful shrubby Helianthemum, at a height of 2000 feet and up- 

 wards. Cistus populif alius, L., covers exclusively the east and south- 

 em acclivity, which was also not yet in blossom, among which here 

 and there grows a pretty species of Pedicularis, similar to P. palus^ 

 tris. 



After a sojourn of eight days at Algeciras. I started, on the 29th 

 of March, for Gibraltar, whose interesting rocks I have explored at 

 all points where it was practicable ; for on the eastern acclivity 

 this mountain is only accessible at few points. The Rock of Gibral- 

 tar consists of limestone, whose strata are inclined from east to west 

 at an angle of 45° to 50°. On that account it forms, on the western 

 acclivity, a steep rocky slope, on the lowest part of which lies the 

 town, whilst the eastern acclivity descends in steep, almost perpen- 

 dicular walls of rock. This rock, so arid and barren — for it has 

 nowhere any water, and is also almost destitute of any soil — never- 

 theless presents a luxuriant vegetation at every season of the year, 

 because the atmosphere is constantly kept moist by the evaporation 

 of the surrounding ocean. The English, taking advantage of this 

 circumstance, have converted a large portion of the rock into a kind 

 of paradise, having brought from the main-land earth, with which 

 they have covered the rock, and have planted various trees, shrubs 

 and plants of the temperate and warm zones, which flourish here 

 without any watering in the most luxuriant manner. The gardens 

 and parks extend from the town, which lies at the north-western foot 

 of the rock, as far as the Punta de Europa, or the most southern point 

 of it, where the lighthouse is placed in the midst of formidable for- 



