Botanical Notices from Spain, 119 



tifications, and] especially the king's garden or the Alameda is one 

 of the most beautiful promenades in the world. Although the Rock 

 of Gibraltar occupies only an insignificant space, and does not rise 

 higher than 1500 feet, yet its vegetation is on both sides very varied. 

 The greatest number of species is found on the western acclivity; 

 the rarest, and the most peculiar to this rock, are on the eastern ac- 

 clivity. Along the base of the western acclivity now grow luxu- 

 riantly Chrysanthemum coronarium, L., Borago officinalis, L., Echium 

 plantagineum, L., Solanum nigrum, L., S. villosum, L., Galactites to- 

 mentosa, DC, Centaur ea pullata. Ait., Anagallis Monelli (?), Arista- 

 lochia hcetica, DC, Psoralea bituminosa, L., Fumaria capreolata, L., 

 Mercurialis ^ annua, L., M. ambigua, L., Emex spinosus, Campd., 

 Euphorbia helioscopia, L., Ecbalium Elaterium, Urtica membranacea, 

 Poir., various Trefoils, Medicagos, Silenes, &c., and in shady places 

 the Acanthus mollis, L., unfolds its beautiful leaves. On the sunny 

 rocks, from the strand up to the summit, Asteriscus maritimus, 

 Monch., Calendula incana, Sm., Pallenis spinosa, Cass., Asphodelus 

 fistulosus, L., Lavandula multifida, L., Fedia Cornucopicc, L., Clypeola 

 maritima, Conyza saxatilis, L., Geranium Robertianum, L., G. rotundifo- 

 lium, L., Ant hy His tetraphylla, L., Hippocrepis multisiliquosa, L., Con- 

 volvulus althcBoides, L., Linaria origanifolia, DC, Ranunculus flabella- 

 tus, Desf., Iris Sisyrinchium, L., Ruta bracteosa, DC, Ornithogalum 

 umbellatum, L.,Biscutella apula, L., blossom in abundance; rarely Cow- 

 volvulus Siculus, L., and Ophrys lutea, Cav. Of shrubs, there are found 

 frequent on this side Jasminum fruticans,Ij., Genista linifolia, L., Ca- 

 lycotome villosa, Lk., Pistacia Lentiscus, Daphne Gnidium, Spartium 

 junceum, whilst on the other hand, rare, Cytisus triflorus, L'Herit., 

 already in fruit, Solanum Sodomerum, L., and Osyris quadripartita, 

 Salzm. I found small shady caverns and clefts in the rock filled with 

 Targionia Michelii, Lunularia vulgaris and Rebouillia hemisphcerica^ 

 the last two without fruit. In like manner Ceterach officinarum and 

 Asplenium Trichomanes occur on this acclivity, and also not un- 

 frequent on the eastern one, where Gymnogramme leptophylla is 

 found in great profusion. From the signal- house, which stands on 

 the summit of the mountain, a flight of steps cut in the rock in a zig- 

 zag direction leads down to a battery lying near the sea ; this is the 

 only way by which the rocks of the eastern acclivity are accessible ; 

 these go abruptly and perpendicularly down from 500 to 1000 feet, in 

 some places descending straight into the sea. But it is precisely on 

 these inaccessible walls of rock that many rare plants grow, for in- 

 stance, the beautiful Iberis gibraltarica, L., and the proud Scilla he- 

 misphcerica, Boiss. {Sc. peruviana,!,.). The first forms large and luxu- 

 riant patches, and grows exclusively in the clefts of these perpendi- 

 cular rocks, and in great abundance. In order to gather them in any 

 quantity, it would be necessary for a person to be let down by cords 

 from the small shelf covered with dwarf palms, which lies below 

 the signal-house on the edge of the giddy precipice. Besides the 

 great danger of this enterprise, no one can go upon this spot, 

 which lies under the cannon of the batteries of the signal-house, 

 without the express permission of the governor, which it is very dif- 



