Remarks on the most Important Plant-Societies of the Island. 28 1 



Aristolochia altissima, various species of Ticia and Lath/rus, Convolvuhis althaeoides, Galium Aparine, 

 Ruhia tmctomm, R. OUvieri subsp. brachi/poda, Bri/onia dioica, B. cretica, and others. From tlie shrubs 

 those climbing plants obtain the support they want in order to keep themselves erect and get also some 

 protection against the attack of sheep, goats and other pasturing animals. 



A gigantic Cnscuta (C. monogynn) is frequently seen, particularly in the district of Limassol, 

 parasiting on Pistacia Terehinthus, P. Lentiscus, exceptionally also on Ruhus ulmifolius and other maquis- 



Fig. 111. Dense Growth of Lonicera etnisca, Ruhus ulmifolius subsp. anatolicus, C'ishis villosiis var. creticus, 

 Berberis cretica, Periploca gracilis, etc., below Prodromo. 



shrubs. In several cases I have seen it climbing as far as a man's height on the plants to which it has 

 attached itself. Its stem is thicker than a knotting-pin ; the flowers are large and rose-coloured. It is 

 also seen parasiting on the cultivated vine in the vine-yards, and is locally known as Xuxo? tou a(ji;taioj. 



Numerous herbs, annual as well as perennial, besides different species of grasses grow amonff the 

 maquis-shrubs. It 'would lead too far to enumerate each species here; iu place of this may be referred 

 to the list appended at the end of this section. On the whole it must be said that these maquis belonc 

 to those of the plant-societies of the island, which possess the greatest richness of species and has the 

 most varied composition. Especially iti the spring-months the plants of these Shinia-maquis offer a gay 

 show of flowers. Duiing summer most of the plants fade away; some of them, however, will always bo 

 found in flower, and even in September, at a time when the soil is dry and intensely heated, new flowers 



