3 o6 SCLEROPHYLLOUS FORMATIONS SECT, xiv 



Maqui is composed of shrubs, the majority of which are evergreen, 

 though a few are deciduous. In the evergreen species the leaves are 

 coriaceous, glossy, or grey-haired, usually elliptical or ovoid, and entire : 

 to this type belong those of Myrtus communis, Buxus, Nerium, Olea 

 europaea, Laurus, Quercus Ilex, Phillyrea latifolia, Arbutus Unedo, Pista- 

 cia Lentiscus, and Ilex Aquifolium. To the ericoid type belong Erica 

 arborea and E. Corsica. To the switch-type belong many species, including 

 Spartium junceum, whose large yellow flowers stand out from the bush- 

 land towards the end of spring ; also species of Genista, for example, in 

 Corsica, the hard-thorned G. Corsica. Among cladode-bearing forms are 

 Ruscus and Asparagus, the latter of which to some extent occurs as 

 a liane, as does Smilax aspera. Common, too, are species of Cistus, of 

 which C. ladaniferus in places covers square miles of country in Spain. 

 It is one of the aromatic plants which play so striking a part in dry dis- 

 tricts of the western Mediterranean countries, and include other under- 

 shrubs, such as Thymus vulgaris, species of Lavandula, Calamintha, 

 Rosmarinus, Stachys, Teucrium, and other Labiatae, also Myrtus com- 

 munis, and the terebinthinous Pistacia. Leaves that are hairy, or invo- 

 lute, or narrow, or show other structural features already mentioned, 

 indicate dryness of habitat. Of spiny plants there are not a few, including 

 wild olive-trees, Ilex Aquifolium, and Prunus spinosa. 



The climate is not favourable to deciduous shrubs that are leafless 

 during the true vegetative season. These shrubs are consequently com- 

 mon only in the northern fringe of the Mediterranean region. Elsewhere 

 they are confined to the banks of streams or other moist localities. It 

 should be noted that some shrubs which are deciduous in Central Europe 

 become evergreen in the Mediterranean region. 1 



Finally, it may be added that the numbers of bulbous plants, including 

 Crocus, Romulea, and Hyacinthus, occur and blossom in the early 

 spring. 



The maqui attains a height of one, two, or sometimes even three metres, 

 and gives rise to an ' almost impenetrable tangled mass '. The air is hot, 

 and the maqui rich in flowers and scent, at least in spring, from February 

 to March. Its impenetrable nature is partly due to the abundance of 

 twining and climbing plants, among which are species of Rubus, Smilax 

 aspera, Rosa sempervirens, Rubia peregrina, and several species of 

 Clematis. 



Maqui is widespread over Mediterranean countries, from Spain to 

 Palestine, and particularly clothes wide tracts of warm limestone rocks. 

 It forms a parched, sterile type of vegetation for which no use has been 

 found. Its flora is much the same everywhere within this area. 



Some maquis include many species, but others show a limited number 

 of social species occurring in vast numbers together. Among the associa- 

 tions into which Mediterranean maquis may be subdivided according to 

 the species dominant, we may note 



Aphyllous Retama-bushland in the south of Spain is perhaps to be 

 regarded as allied to shrub-steppe. 



Dwarf -palm maqui also occurs in the south of Spain. 2 



1 Schimper, 1898 ; Beck von Mannagetta, 1901 ; Bergen, 1903 ; Rikli, 1903 ; 

 Vahl, 1904, 1906. a See p. 291 ; also Borgesen, 1897. 



