Botankal Notices from Spain. 423 



Silt/bum Marianum, Notobasis syriaca, Cynara horrida, Onopordon 

 illyricum, Echinops strigosus grow here luxuriantly. With this 

 gypsum formation is connected a hilly land consisting of limestone, 

 which possesses a rich flora and extends to the mouth of the 

 Guadiana Menor. Here I observed Aristolochia longa, Anthyllis 

 cytisoides, Genista ramosissima, Teucrium pscudochamcepitys, Scabiosa 

 stellata, Crucianella angustifolia , Leuzea conifera, Atractylis humilis, 

 Linum svffruticosum, Coris monspeliensis, Campanula Erinns, Minuartia 

 montana and Elceoselinum LagasccB, Boiss., in fruit. The banks of the 

 Guadalquivir are for the most part bordered by oleander, pistachio, 

 and tamarisk bushes, beneath which Cynanchum monspeliacum, L., 

 occurs in tolerable plenty. The right bank of the Guadalquivir 

 consists of alluvial soil, which in the country around the towns of 

 Baeza and Ubeda is partly planted with vines and olives. In the 

 environs of both places occur Ammi Visnaga, L., in immense quan- 

 tities, and on dry spots between Ubeda and the river the pretty 

 Helioti'opium supinum, L., in company with Crozoplwra tinctoria and 

 Momordica Elaterium. 



I now turn to the vegetation of the Sierra Morena, whither I 

 journeyed from Ubeda, and which I have traversed in its full extent 

 from the limits of Murcia as far as the frontiers of Portugal and to 

 the mouth of the Guadiana, a distance of sixty- two German miles. 

 I know no mountain-chain in Spain, which, in such a length and 

 breadth (the average breadth may be taken at least at eight German 

 miles), possesses such an immense uniform vegetation, but which 

 differs in the different formations. I therefore consider it necessary 

 to give first of all a brief geognostical survey, before proceeding to 

 the general characteristics of the vegetation in the Sierra Morena. 

 The Sierra Morena is of no great height, its highest point scarcely 

 reaching 5000 feet, and that of its broad and greater portion only 

 2-3000 feet. It is distinguished by its peculiar character, as well as 

 by its thick forests, from all the other mountain-chains of Andalusia, 

 whose northern limits it forms, while it covers a large portion of the 

 provinces of Jaen, Cordoba, Seville, and Huelva. Before I pass to 

 the geognostical description of this mountain- chain, it may be well 

 to give briefly my route over it. 



From Ubeda I went in a north-easterly direction to the village of 

 San Esteban del Puerto, which lies near the frontiers of Murcia, and 

 from hence north-east to the Venta de Cardenas on the road to Ma- 

 drid, close to the limits of the Mancha, upon which I went south- 

 wards through the Puerto de Despeiiaperros to Carolina. After a 

 stay of several days in this city I journeyed on, following the road 

 to Andujar, and then went down the valley of the Guadalquivir to 

 Montoro, where this river intersects the lowest part of the Sierra 

 Morena, and enters the lowlands of the province of Cordoba. From 

 Montoro I again turned northwards into the mountain-chain as far 

 as Villanueva de Cordoba, from whence I travelled in a north-easterly 

 direction towards the baths of Fuencaliente in the Mancha. From 

 thence I went westwards to the little town of Pozo-Blanco, and 

 then through the whole of the Sierra in a south-westerly direction 



