380 Mr Philip Sewell's Observations 



Observations regarding the Flora of the Alpes Maritimes. 

 By Philip Sewell. 



(Read lOth July 1890.) 



The following notes may present to the Society some picture 

 of the rich alpine flora of the Maritime Alps, as seen 

 in the neighbourhood of the Col di Tenda — a flora the more 

 remarkable and interesting because, only 20 or 30 miles 

 distant, that of the shores of the Mediterranean is almost 

 African in its character. 



As pointed out by Ardoino,* within this region, shut 

 in between the northern bounds of the Maritime Alps and 

 the sea, there is a flora, of over 2400 species, so much 

 richer than that of the British Isles, whilst the area contain- 

 ing this wealth of species is not half the size of the island 

 of Corsica. 



New habitats for interesting rarities, such as Fritillaria 

 delphinensis, known as F. Burnati, and also for Primula 

 Allioni are recorded amongst our finds. The presence of 

 this Fritillaria in considerable abundance is the more 

 welcome to botanists because the Italian Government have 

 prohibited access to its other known habitat — the slopes of 

 the Col di Tenda, where they have erected extensive forti- 

 fications. Other notes as to fresh localities will, if of 

 sufficient interest, be incorporated with Professor Penzig's 

 forthcoming work on the " Plora of Liguria." 



The disused Monastery of San Dalmazzo di Tenda, our 

 station for a fortnight, is distant from the shore at Venti- 

 miglia about 30 miles. It is just within the limits of the 

 present Italian frontier line, and but a short distance from 

 the famous pass leading from Liguria to the plains of Pied- 

 mont. From San Dalmazzo as headquarters, we were able 

 in a few hours to reach either the sea-coast and its typical 

 flora or the high altitudes of 8000 to 10,000 feet, where, at 

 the time of our visit, was a considerable amount of snow ; 

 none of this, however, persists throughout the summer, 

 except in the more shaded drifts. 



The typical Mediterranean flora, as seen about La Mortola 



* AljJcs Maritimes, ed. ii., 1879. 



