Dr Kuhl on the Vegetable Productions of Madeira. 123 



poor in its vegetation. We found only one plant which we 

 had not seen before, or which we did not meet with in the 

 following region. The whole ridge is covered with the single 

 Spartium. 



5. Region of the Heath. (Erica.) 

 This extends to the summit of the Pico Ruivo, the highest 

 point in the whole island ; and, according to our reckoning, 

 is 5300 feet above the level of the sea. It is very rich in in- 

 teresting plants. In the middle of it are trees with coriaceous 

 leaves, Clethra, an arborescent Vaccinium, and two trees called 

 Till and Vintratico, but which, for want of flowers, we could 

 not determine. Between the fourth and fifth region is a tract 

 which is almost entirely covered with Pteris aquilina, and some 

 other ferns, especially another Pteris. On many ridges they 

 abound to the exclusion of all other plants, which was re- 

 markably the case at a height of from 3920 to 4080 feet, 

 whilst below them the Spartium, and above them the Ericas, 

 maintain possession of the soil. But again, not far from the 

 top of the Pico, is a tract where the Ericas are supplanted by 

 the Spartium, only, however, for a short space; for the sum- 

 mit is covered by the thick stems of the Heaths. Besides 

 fifteen species of plants common to the lower regions, we 

 found of 



Acotyledons, twelve species. Pezha and Lichens. 

 Monocotyledons, seven, among them, two Scirpi. Two of Cynom- 



rus, Aira, and Agrostis- „.,.,. ,. .-<• i 



Dicotyledons, thirty-seven. Among them, a SiJeritts, a beautitul 

 shrubby Ech.iu.mi with a blue spike, CrocoJyUum, Pyrethrum , Phyllis, 

 two Semperviva, Sedum, Cotyledon, &e. There is no Pine region. 



It would, under existing circumstances, be too great a task 

 to name all the genera which we have collected. We must 

 reserve it for another opportunity ; and 1 will here only enu- 

 merate the relative proportion of the species in some of the 

 most striking families. 



Filices I in 15. Cichoraeesc, 1 in 23. Leguminosie, 1 in 2.3. 



Gmninea: 1 in 11. Corymbifura-, 1 in 1!>. Caryophylle©, 1 in 37. 



Amcntacea.-, 1 in 111. Saxifrage*, 1 in 224. Malvacee, in f*. 



Buphorbiace*, 1 So 111. Labiate, 1 hrlft Rosacea linSS. 



DntbeUifere, l in 56. Craciftr*, l in 23. 



