22 



and dandelion deck the meads, grassy lanes, and 

 waysides, wheat is ripening, and the luxuriant tops 

 of the purple vetch Hedysarium corcnarium adorn 

 the terraced fields and commingle their flowers with 

 the red poppy, yellow marigold, daffodil, crimson 

 pheasant's eye and purple anemone, where the painted 

 lady, cabbage, clouded saffron, and other butterflies 

 are sporting. The evergreen of the stunted locust 

 or carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua) contrasts well with 

 the whole scene, whilst the bare boughs of the 

 fig stand out in inanimate ugliness against the 

 stone fence around the terraced fields. About the 

 loth of February wheat is in ear, and the progress in 

 vegetation may be said to have reached its height." 



During March and April vegetation is luxuriant. 

 Eanunculi, poppies, several species of Cruciferce, etc. 

 flower. The caper plant makes fortifications gay 

 with leaves and flowers, and the ice plant may 

 be met with. 



The summer flowering plants mostly belong to the 

 Composites. The so called Centaurea Spatulata with 

 leaves like those of a Sempervivum which grows on 

 the rocks above Fauara, blossoms in May. Some 

 botanists deny its claim to be considered a Centaurea 

 and regard it as a distinct genus. Snapdragons, 

 aromatic plants, glassworts, euphorbias, the caper, 

 cinerarias etc., with numerous others perfume the air. 



Fifteen species of the orchid tribe amongst which 

 are the Orchis undulatJfolia 3 and saccata are found. 



