Remarks on the most Important Plant-Societies of the Island. 215. 



water. Moreover I found Samohiti Valerandi sporadically, but otherwise no vascular plant in the grotto. 

 Throughout the small, abundantly moistened ravine below the rock Myrtus communis and Nerium Oleander 

 grow in dense shrubs; the latter was just in full blossom at the time of my visit, on the 23rd of May. 

 Riibtcs ulmifolius subsp. anatolieus and Inula viscom were also to be seen here. Nearest to the brook 

 — that has been led out of its own riverbed in order to drive a miW—Adiiintiim Capillus Veneris grows 

 (abundantly), as well as Samolas Valerandi (rather frequent), Clilora perfoUata, Carex dilufa (abundantly), 

 Pteri.-! longifolia (sporadically) and Lythram fie.ruosum (sporadically). In the sloping ground, just befoie 

 the soui'ce and oozed over by the water, Sckoenus nup-icans and Carex diluta grow in big tufts. 



Out of a sloping hill, somewhat above the village of Vavatsinia in the district of Larnaka, a 

 spring is welling out, being called by the inhabitants of the village "Mutti ton Vryson". It is of no big 

 force. In the ground moistened by the oozing water I found on the •29th of ,Iune 190.5 the following plants: 

 Chara yymnophylla (abundantly), Myrtus communis and Inula viscosa (rather frequently), Ayrostis rertieil- 

 hita (sporadically), Cyperus rotundus {frequently), Laurentia tenella (frequently; form, the corollas of which 

 have an uncommonly pale colour), Samolus Valerandi (sporadically), Lythram kyssopifolinm (sporadically), 

 Te.Hcrium Scordium. subsp. scordioides (sporadically), Mentha lonyifolia (rather sporadically). 



In the immediate neighbourhood of this spring, in a place called Exomandres, is another foun- 

 tain of a similai- nature as the one we have just spoken of. The vegetation round this spring, however, 

 is somewhat richer. The spring is shadowed by a group of beautiful platanes, surrounded by a luxuriant 

 copse of myrtle. In the sloping ground irrigated by the water from the spi'ing these plants are seen 

 growing: Laarentia tenella (abundantly), Adiantum Capillus Veneris (frequently), Ayrosiis rertieillata 

 (sporadically), Mentha lonyifnlia (sporadically), Helosciadmm nodiflorum (frequently), Cyperus rotundas (rather 

 sporadically), Samolus Valerandi (rather frequently), Anayallis arrensis subsp. phoenicea (sporadically). 



Livadia is the name of a small, patellifonn valley above the village of Prodrome, in the central 

 part of the Troodos mountains. The place being 1 412 m. above the level of the sea"), is surrounded by 

 a magnificent forest of tirs (Pinas nigra subsp. Pallasiana). From the sides of the valley cold and clear 

 water is constantly oozing, sufficient to keep the ground wet all through the summer. In our northern 

 latitudes peat would be sure to be formed in a place such as this; instead of peat an uncommonly large 

 stratum of organic mould with lots of earth-worms has developed in Cyprus. The ground is densely 

 covered by a fresh tuif, chiefly consisting of Juncus Imfonius, J. sphaerocarpas, Scirjms setaceus f. pseudo- 

 clathratus, S. paluster and Cyperus rotundas. In the lowest places a big Jancus grows in liig tufts being 

 as yet sterile, and in scattered copies Poa trivialis and Carex muricata subsp. dimdsa. Moreover wei'e 

 to be found : Ranuneulas trilohus var. tripetalus (sporadical, in the very springs). Potentilla reptans (abun- 

 dant), Trifoliam procumhens (frequent), Epilohiiim lanecolatam (rather fiequent), Lythram hyssopifolium 

 (frequent), Samolus Valerandi (in the wettest places; abundant), Myosotis coIUtm (rather sporadical), Vero- 

 nica AnagalUs var. montioides (rather sporadical), Pingaic.ula crystaUina (sporadical), Plantago laneeolata 

 (abundant), Laurentia tenella (in the wettest places; abundant), Bellis perennis (frequent). 



Another spring in the neighbourhood of Prodrome is Vrysi Franchi, which is several times 

 mentioned by Ungek and Kotschy. Beside an old church, Panagia Trikukia. it wells out of a sloping 

 hill and goes on its way as a quick little rivulet, oozing over the hill and keeping the ground wet. Tiie 

 spring is rich and has cold, cleai' water (the temperature of which, according to Unger, was 9.3" 0. on 

 the 16th of May 1862); it does not dry up even though the periods of drought be very long. According 

 to Ungek it is about 1 368 m.^) above the level of the sea. In the immediate neighbourhood of the spring 

 itself and the rivulet below especially Laurentia tenella and Samolus Valerandi grow very abundantly. 

 These species form veiitable cushions beautifully decorated by the now darker now quite pale blue flowers 

 of the former species. Although moie sporadically wc also find the beautiful endcmical Pinguicula c.ry- 



') Unger u. Kotschy, Insel ( 'yperii, p. '^-Jo. 

 2) 1. c, p. 7->. 



