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Botanical Notices from Spain. 265 
mijarras, which is separated by the deep valley of the Rio de Motril 
or Guadalfeo from the Sierra de Lugar lying opposite, to the east, and 
by the broad valley of the Rio Grande*, coming from the western and 
lowest portion of the Sierra Nevada, from the southern declivity of 
this mountain-range, with which the Sierra de las Almijarras is con- 
nected by a broad, barren and rocky table-land, which divides the 
valley of the Rio Grande from the plain of Granada. 
The best starting-point for a visit to the Sierra Tejeda is the vil- 
lage of Canillas de Aceytuno, on its southern acclivity, which is three 
leagues distant from Velez-Malaga. The path leads continually 
upwards through the numerous vine-hills, where I found in great 
plenty Tolpis barbata, L., a Jasione, Brassica betica, Boiss., Cen- 
taurea muricata, L., and Cleome violacea, L. «In the highest part of 
the village, which is surrounded by many olives, lies a convent most 
romantically situated on a projecting rock of the Sierra, in whose 
clefts I found Galium pruinosum, Boiss., a beautiful species with co- 
riaceous leaves, dark green on the upper side and covered with a 
white powder beneath, as well as Thymus longiflorus, Boiss., Th. 
hirtus, W. 6. erianthus, Boiss., Linaria origanifolia, DC., Sedum acre, 
L., S. amplexicaule, DC., and various grasses. 
From hence I ascended to the Penon Grande, an immense wall of 
dolomitic rock, of great height, lying in the lower mountain region 
of the chain, and gathered on the boulders of rock Santolina squar- 
rosa, W., which had just begun to flower, Passerina Tartonraira, L., 
a pretty Orchis, Anthyllis tejedensis, Boiss., Thymus longiflorus, Li- 
naria saiureioides, Boiss.; and near to the Penon Grande, in the 
clefts of which grow Barkhausia albida, Cass., a rock-plant common 
in all the mountains of Upper Andalusia, but never occurring in pro- 
fusion,—a small yellow-flowered Linaria, which seems to me to be 
L. Raveyi, Boiss., and is very rare. 
The following day I ascended to. the highest summit of the moun- 
tain-range, and was unfortunately compelled to turn back before I 
wished by the falling mists and rainy weather. At about a height 
of 5000 feet is an immense rocky projection, called the Cerro la Ma- 
tanza, which parts two deep abysses. Here in fissures of the rock 
are found Arabis auriculata, Lam., Cerastium repens, L., Valeriana 
tuberosa, L., Melissa alpina, Bth., Taraxacum obovatum, T. levigatum, 
* The Rio de Motril, or Guadalfeo, which is its true but less-known name 
(among the people it takes its name of Rio de Velezillo from the little town 
of Velez de Benandalla lying on it), is composed of the Rio Grande, issuing 
from the western part of the Sierra Nevada, but which is not considerable, 
and the full stream of the Rio de Orgiva, which forms the chief valley of the 
western Alpujarras, and brings down the whole water from the southern ac- 
clivity of the Sierra Nevada. The two rivers join below Lanjaron, whilst 
the Orgiva previously receives the river or streamlet of Lanjaron. The Rio 
de Orgiva is formed of the three chief portions of the western Alpujarras, 
the Barranco de Cadiar, Barranco de Trelevez and Barranco de Poqueira, 
and from that point where the Rio Poqueira joins it (a mile and a half 
above Orgiva), takes the name of Rio Grande. The Guadalfeo or Rio de 
Motril also often bears the same name. 
Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. xvii. U 
