Remarks on the niusi, Impurtaiit I'lant-Sorifties of (lin Islaud. 



247 



Mmtha longifoJia (copious). Tamiifs communis (sparse), Asparagvs acutifolius (sparse), Ruhia OUrirri subsp. 

 hrachyimda (sparse)— besides other species, which at the date of my visit (1 July 1905) had faded and 

 disappeared. All round the spring', and wherever the stream is on a level with the floor of the valley, 

 are seen grassy mats of Cyperus rohmdus (numerous) and Ayrostis rcrticiUata (fairly numerous); further, 

 Tr'ifolnim. procumhens (numerous). T. fmgifurinn (scarce), and Samohts Ycderandi (numerous). 



The mountains above the village of Yalia in the western part of Cyprus consist of a weather- 

 worn igneous rock, cut up by deep erosion-valleys. The draining streams are lined by stately plane-trees 

 together with fresh gi'eeu myrtle and oleander. In the shadier nooks Ptendhim (uiniVinum thrives as well 

 as it does at Kykko, often growing to more than 

 a man's height. In its company I found Sutiiyoia 

 ndgnris, which appears under similar conditions in 

 various parts of the Troodos chain. 



Most of the species mentioned above are 

 pei'cnnial. A shade-seeking vegetation consisting 

 mainly id' annual species is usually met with on 

 the steep, damp earth-walls in the dark and narrow 

 mountain-clefts so common in the island. The 

 following list of plants, collected 20 May 190.5 on 

 a peipendiculai- earth-wall in a ravine just below 

 Khulu village (district of Paphos), may serve as 

 a fair example of this vegetation : SelagineUa denti- 

 ciiliitd (abundant), Cnmpnnula Erinus (fairly numer- 

 ous). Chlora ijerfoliata (copious), Alehemilla arrensis 

 (fairly numerous), Geranium Rohertianum (copious), 

 Parietaria officinalis subsp. judaica (copious), Filaijo 

 gcrmanica (fairly numerous), Asterolinnm Linum. 

 stdlatum (fairly numerous), Galium murale (fairly 

 numerous). Wherever there is an afflux of water 

 (kmipanula Erinus and Filayo yermanica disappear 

 aiul are replaced by Samolus and Adiantum. One 

 species seldom missing in such places is the beauti- 

 ful little Selayinelhi denticulata.— The earth-bank 

 in question was shaded by an impenetrable thicket 

 of liuhus ulmlfoltus subsp. anatolicus with long 

 pendent branches, of Urtica pihtlifcra. etc 



Among the trees often found in shady 

 ravines the plane-tree (Platanus orientalis) must in 



the first place be mentioned (see pp. 219, 220 above). One tree which is commonly seen in company 

 with the plane is the multiform oriental elder (Alnus orientalis). This tree also occasionally grows to 

 considerable dimensions. In the valley below Prodrome there are a few fine specimens, with great. 

 spreading branches; the largest tree has a girth of 3.95 m. at breast-height. E. Hartmann i) saw still 

 larger specimens at Kykko, their trunks measuring more than 5 m. in circumference. 



This shade-seeking flora is on the one hand closely related to the societies of paludal trees and 

 shrubs, on the other to various forest plant-societies. 



It is natural to mention in this connection the plant life of the caves, also places to which the 

 sunlight cannot easily make its way. Where the walls ai'e damp one as a rule finds SelagineUa denticulata 



1) Hartmann, Walder d. Insel Cypern, p. 180. The text has "die oiientali.sohe Eiche"; but the author has kindly 

 intnrmed me that this is a misprint for "Erie". 



Fiu'. 90. 



J, P. Fosculo, Phot. 

 The (.'aledonia Fall, Troodos. 



