208 



Remarks on the inot-t liiiportaiit I'laut-Sucieties of tlie Island. 



Accor(iin<!: to iheir nature the most impoi'tant of the societies of paludal plants in Cyprus may 

 be thus divided into different gi-oups: 



a. Handy and Muddy Marshes. 



b. Societies of Reedy Plants. 



c. Wet Meadows. 



d. Vegetation near Springs. 



0. Societies of Paludal Shrubs and Trees. 



We shall examine a little more closely each of these societies. 



a. Sandy and Muddy Marshes there is a special opportunity of seeing typically developed round 

 the famous Salt Lakes of Larnaka and Liraassol. 



The Salt Lake of Larnaka is situated in a flat depression of the plain, at a short distance to the 

 west of the town bearing the same name. As far as can be stated without a special examination of the 

 matter, it is almost entirely on the same level with the sea; the lake is connected with the ocean through 

 a canal. Strictly spoken there is not one lake of Ijarnaka, but a collection of 4 lakes. Of these the 



I'iiX. HS. Till- Salt Lake of l,ariiak;i. (I'licjt, it. Cakemi-ii.aki . 



largest one is nearly 4 km. long and up to 3 km. broad; the next is also about 3 km. long.') As a I'ule 

 the shores are very low, but in some places steep crag's of sandstone protende to the very edge of the 

 water. In summer time the water of the lakes has almost completely dried up, leaving a crust of salt at the 

 bottom. The bottom is flat, consisting of finer or coarser sand; in some places it is mixed up with mud. 

 When 1 visited the place in March 1905 nearly half of the bottom was dry; in the open water lots of 

 grallatorial birds were to be seen, among others many rod flamingoes (Phoentcopterus rosens). The dried 

 up part of the bottom was so firm that we could walk without any difficulty to the very edge of the 

 water. In the water I saw no phanerogame aquatics. Of the vegetation of the shores SaUcM-ma fvu- 

 iicosa was the species going farthest towards the water. It is very common in this region, throughout 

 vast expanses it is indeed quite predominant. Along the border of the water tliei'e were open growths 

 of young plants of Salicornia. Between the branches sand and mud are left from periods of inundation; 

 in this way cushionformed platforms, ca. 0.5 m. high will be formed little by little; and of these the 

 fresh shoots of Sallconud ai'c bi-istling in all directions. On such elevated platfoi'ms and inside them we 



*) Cp. Oberiiummep,. Insel ("ypeni I. p. 223 



