Botanical Notices from Spain, 269 



mijarras, which is separated by the deep valley of the Rio de Motril 

 or Guadalfeo from the Sierra de Lugar lying opposite, to the east, and 

 by the broad valley of the Rio Grande*, coming from the western and 

 lowest portion of the Sierra Nevada, from the southern declivity of 

 this mountain-range, with which the Sierra de las Almijarras is con- 

 nected by a broad, barren and rocky table- land, which divides the 

 valley of the Rio Grande from the plain of Granada. 



The best starting-point for a visit to the Sierra Tejeda is the vil- 

 lage of Canillas de Aceytuno, on its southern acclivity, which is three 

 leagues distant from Velez-Malaga. The path leads continually 

 upwards through the numerous vine-hills, where I found in great 

 plenty Tolpis barbata, L., a Jasione, Brassica batica, Boiss., Cen- 

 taurea muricata, L., and Cleome violacea, L. In the highest part of 

 the village, which is surrounded by many olives, lies a convent most 

 romantically situated on a projecting rock of the Sierra, in whose 

 clefts I found Galium pruinosum, Boiss., a beautiful species with co- 

 riaceous leaves, dark green on the upper side and covered with a 

 white powder beneath, as well as Thymus longijlorus, Boiss., Th. 

 hirtus, W. h. erianthus, Boiss,, Linaria origanifolia, DC, Sedum acre^ 

 L., S. amplexicaule, DC, and various grasses. 



From hence I ascended to the Peiion Grande, an immense wall of 

 dolomitic rock, of great height, lying in the lower mountain region 

 of the chain, and gathered on the boulders of rock Santolina squar- 

 rosa, W., which had just begun to flower, Passerina Tartonraira, L., 

 a pretty Orchis, Anthyllis tejedensis, Boiss., Thymus longijlorus, Li- 

 naria satureioides, Boiss. ; and near to the Penon Grande, in the 

 clefts of which grow Barkhausia albida, Cass., a rock-plant common 

 in all the mountains of Upper Andalusia, but never occurring in pro- 

 fusion, — a small yellow-flowered Linaria, which seems to me to be 

 L. Raveyi, Boiss., and is very rare. 



The following day I ascended to the highest summit of the moun- 

 tain-range, and was unfortunately compelled to turn back before I 

 wished by the falling mists and rainy weather. At about a height 

 of 5000 feet is an immense rocky projection, called the Cerro la Ma- 

 tanza, which parts two deep abysses. Here in fissures of the rock 

 are found Arabis auriculata, Lam., Cerastium repens, L., Valeriana 

 tuberosa, L., Melissa alpina, Bth., Taraxacum obovatum, T. lavigatum, 



* The Rio de Motril, or Guadalfeo, which is its true but less-known name 

 (among the people it takes its name of Rio de Velezillo from the little town 

 of Velez de Benandalla lying on it), is composed of the Rio Grande, issuing 

 from the western part of the Sierra Nevada, but which is not considerable, 

 and the full stream of the Rio de Orgiva, which forms the chief valley of the 

 western Alpujarras, and brings down the wliole water from the southern ac- 

 clivity of the Sierra Nevada. The two rivers join below Lanjaron, whilst 

 the Orgiva previously receives the river or streamlet of Lanjaron. The Rio 

 de Orgiva is formed of the three chief portions of the western Alpujarras, 

 the Barranco de Cadiar, Barranco de 'J'relevez and Barranco de Poqueira, 

 and from that point where the Rio Poqueira joins it (a mile and a half 

 above Orgiva), takes the name of Rio Grande. The Guadalfeo or Rio de 

 Motril also often bears the same name. 



Ann. §• Ma^. N. Hist. Vol. xvii. U 



