Botanical Notices from Spain . 181 



lica, L., in the neighbourhood of the sea, as well as oi Agave ame- 

 ricana and Cactus Opunliu. The hii*t is also cultivated in many gar- 

 dens for the sake of the cochcnillc, although it occurs everywhere 

 wild on stony, sunny places in the warm sea-region ; for instance, 

 the whole south and east slopes of the castle of Murviedro are co- 

 vered with impenetrable bushes of a man's height, in which stems of 

 4 or 5 inches diameter are frequently seen. Of herbaceous vege- 

 tables are grown in the Hucrta very many strawberries, artichokes, 

 onions, garlic, beans, peas, VicinFaba, L., and especially thcGarbanzos 

 {Cicer arietiition, L.), so much loved by the Spaniards. The water- 

 courses are almost universally decked with Iris Pseuducorus, and 

 filled with our species of Lcmna and Potamoyeton. A })retty red- 

 flowered Silene is not uncommon, and on the walls Hyosojamus alba 

 grows everywhere in luxuriant abundance, while the hedges are over- 

 run with Fumaria caprcolnta, L., and liubiacca:. yMl sandy places, 

 particularly the shore of the Rio Turia, are covered with Planlago 

 Coronopus, L., Calendula officinalis, Erodias and Euphorbias, 



As soon as the weather permitted, I made an excursion to the 

 lake of Albufera, which is situated about two leagues westward of 

 A'alencia, and is connected with tiie sea by a narrow canal. Almost 

 the whole of its shores are covered with rice-fields, yet the strip of 

 land, about three-quarters of a mile broad, which separates it from 

 the sea and which is little else than a mound of sand, is occupied by 

 a wood of Pinus Halepensis, Mill. This little wood is one of the 

 spots richest in plants in the neighbourhood of Valencia, on which 

 account I have often visited it. The ground is covered with a low 

 underwood which is chiefly composed of Quercus coccifera, Mijrtus 

 communis and Chamcerops huniilis ; beneath these frequentl)" occur 

 bushes oi Juniper us Oxj/cedrus, L., Rhamnus Lycioides, L., Erica ar- 

 borca, L., Rosmarinus officinalis, L., Ruscus aculeatus, L. , Pistacia 

 lentiscus, L., &c. On the shore of the Albufera in loose quicksands 

 are pretty frequently found great bushes of Solanum Sodoma'um, L., 

 with stems as thick as a man's arm, and Trixago Apula, Col., /5. versi- 

 color, Lagurus ovatus,h., &c. clothe the more grassy places. In the 

 interior of the wood occur many Ilelianthema, Coronilla juncea, L., 

 Urospermum picroides, Desf., and frequently Elceoselinum fatidum, 

 Boiss., which however was not yet in fruit. In the thick bush grows 

 very rarely Lonicera implexa. Ait., and in the neighbourhood of the 

 coast the beautiful Iris fiUfolia, Boiss., but also very sparingly. The 

 numerous shallow lagoons which occur between the Albufera and 

 the sea are filled with Charas and Potamogetons ; these also cover 

 the bottom of the Albufera, and Juncus acutus, L., the margin. The 

 grassy sand-hills in front of the pine-wood are covered over and over 

 with Cistus albidus, L., and C. sahnfolius, L., while the bare sand- 

 downs near the sea are overgrown with Asphodelus Jistulosus, L., 

 Euphorbias, and Passcrina kirsuta, L. In the neighbourhood of the 

 sea Ononis Natrix is pretty well scattered, and a silky-haired Lotus. 

 In the Albufera also the VaUisneria spiralis presents itself, which 

 Cavanilles, and, quite lately, Blanco have found here ; I however have 



