318 



Azores as illustrated in the woods and in the mountain moors. 

 Whilst the predominant plants of the moors are in nearly all 

 ^ases European species that do not occur in either Madeira or the 

 Canaries, most of the characteristic shrubs and trees of the woods 

 are non-European, and either exist in the other two groups or 

 ■are represented there by closely related species. Although the 

 ancestors of these forest trees and shrubs were orig^inally derived 

 from Europe, it was probably at an earlier date than the moor 

 plants which are still in touch with their European home. The 

 forest plants concerned include, amongst others, Ilex ^peradoy 

 Rliammis latif alius ^ Vaccinium cylindraceum. Erica azorica^ 

 Picconia ea'celsdj Laurus canariensis^ Euphorbia "inelliferay and 

 Myrica fay a. The moor plants comprise species of both wet and 





drier stations, and include Viola fahistris^ Polygala "vulgaris^ 

 Fotentilla tovmentilla^ Hydrocotyle Dulgarisj Calluna vulgaris^ 

 Menziesia polifolia, Sihthorpia euTopaea^ LysimdcTiia nemorumj 



I 



Inagallis tenellay etc. 



There are, however, indications that the Azorean native woods, 

 non-Europenn as they are as regards several of their shrubs and 

 trees, have preserved in the case of some species the European 

 connection. Interesting evidence is supplied by the presence 

 there of Daphne laureolay Viburnum tinusy Juniperus oxycedrus^ 

 and Taxus baccatay all but the Juniper, which is also a native of 

 Madeira and the Canaries, being alone represented in the Azores 

 in Macaronesia. With the exception of Taxus haccata all grow 

 in Marocco on the slopes of the Creat Atlas at altitudes of 4000 

 to 6500 ft. ; and since no other trees and shrubs of the Azorean 

 woods are named in Ball's list of the plants of that region 

 (Hooker's '^ Marocco,'' p. 425), it would almost appear that the 

 Azores may have received in a recent age these species of Daphne^ 

 yiburnum and Juniperus by way of the Atlas Mountains. But 

 it would seem that similar recent accessions to the Canarian flora 

 may have been received from the same source. Thus, in Daphne 

 gnidium we have a European species which is associated on the 

 slopes of the Great Atlas with Daphne laureola; in Viburnum 

 rigidum a species related to the Mediterranean and North African 

 V. tinus through its Azorean form (Trelease, p, 118); and in 

 Juniperus oxycedrus also a Great Atlas species. 



This Juniper has developed in the Azores a short-leaved form, 

 which is by some regarded as a distinct species. But observation 

 of many living trees in that group convinced me that great varia- 

 tion prevails in this character', and that Watson's half -doubt about 

 the validity of the specific distinction in Junij^erus hrevijolia is 

 more than sustained. Taxus haccata^ which has been almost 

 exterminated by the islanders for the sake of its timber, still exists 

 sparingly in the mountains at the back of Caes-o-Pico and San 

 Roque in the island of Pico. We learn from Trelease that it 

 formerly grew in workable size on Flores and Corvo and was 

 exported as a source of royal revenue. The Pico islanders are 

 familiar with the tree by reputation, though very few could have 

 seen it growing in their woods. A lake in the mountains behind 

 San Eoque is still known by some as the ''Lagoa das Teixas " 

 {Tax7cs)y though the tree must be almost extinct there now. 



