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



Nowhere in the island I have seen such a luxuriant growth of juniper-maquis as in Valia, 

 where extensive thickets of J- phoenicea occupy the interior of the peninsula, of which Capo Elaca is the 

 uttermost point. The area here consists of a flat conglomerate- and sandstone-plateau, covered by a shallow, 

 intensively red-coloured earth. The supply of water is very scarce. Toward the sea-shore the plateau termi- 

 nates in a steep precipice full of large, detached fragments of rock. This copse-wood, when compared 

 with others I have come across on Cyprus, is unusually dense; the stretches are said to be 9 Engl, 

 miles in circuit. Together with J. phoenicea, which without comparison is prevalent among the species 

 of shrubs growing there, scattered individuals of various other trees and shrubs are found, especially 

 Quercus coccifera subsp. pseudoeoccifera, Arbutus Andrachne, Pinus halepensis, Ceratonia Siliqua and Olea 

 etiropaea. The two latter species of trees have in most cases been planted — by the Forest Department 

 alone of Ceratonia 5 or 6000 specimens are said to have been planted — but I also saw several 

 specimens which beyond doubt must have been originally indigenous. Furthermore are found fair numbers 

 of Pistacia Lentiscus, and on the driest, sunniest places Cistus villosus var. creticus, Onosma fruticosum, 

 and Sanguisorha spinosa. A vegetation rich in species grows under the juniper-shrubs and also on the 

 more or less open spots between them, consisting of annual or perennial herbs and various species of 

 grasses. Here were found: Of grasses: Bromus aquarrosus, numerous, Aira capillaris, numerous, 

 Triticum ovatum, particularly numerous in more open places, Briza minor, sparse, B. maxima, numerous, 

 Avena harhata subsp. Wiestii, numerous, Lagurus ovattis, in quantities, StijM toriilis, numerous. Of herbs: 

 Helichrysum rupicolum subsp. hracliijphijllum, sparse. Cyclamen persicum, in great quantities underneath 

 the juniper-shrubs, Valeriana Dioscoridis, numerous, Tamus communis, rather numerous, Bunium fendaceum, 

 rather numerous, Asphodelus ramosus subsp. microcarpus, in great quantities, Serapias lonyipctala, in 

 quantities, Ophys lutea and mammosa, sparse, Helianthemiim guttatum subsp. eriocaulon. sparse, H. ara- 

 hiciim, rather numerous, Trifolium purpureiim subsp. pamphylicum, numerous, T. stellatum, in great 

 quantities, T. procumhens, numerous, T. Cherleri, very numerous, Circinnus circinnatus, sparse. Ononis 

 ornithopodioides, rather scarce, 0. reclinata subsp. mollis, numerous. Astragalus hamosus, scarce, Hedy- 

 siirum spinosissimum subsp. pallens, sparse, Catananche lutea, rather scarce, Anthemis pamphjlica, nume- 

 rous, A. tricolor, numerous, Crupina Crupinastrum, numerous, Filago germanica subsp. eriocephala, rather 

 numerous, Scahiosa sicula, sparse, Salvia viridis, in quantities. Ranunculus asiaticus (tall, white-flowered 

 form) in quantities, Crucianella laiifolia, numerous underneath the juniper-shrubs, Camx)anula Erinus, sparse, 

 Plantago Lagopus, in great quantities, Valerianella truncata, sparse, Galium murale, sparse, Asterolinum 

 Linum stellatuyn, sparse, Erythraea piilchella, numerous, Chlora pcrfoliaia, sparse, Tordylium cordatum, in 

 quantities, Scandix Pecten Veneris, in quantities underneath the juniper-shrubs, Lagoeeia cuminoides, 

 numerous, Polygala monspeliaca, sparse. Geranium Rohertianum subsp. purpureiim, scarce (between rock- 

 pieces), Biscutella didyma subsp. Columnae, sparse. Of ferns: Ophioglossum lusitanicum, scarce. 



With the vegetation, described above, the vegetation I found in the juniper-copses at Capo Greco 

 and on the peninsula of Akrotiri has very much in common. In none of these places, however, Juniperus 

 attains such dimensions as in Valia. Of species, which I noted under the shrubs at Capo Gi'eco, but which 

 I did not see at Valia, may be mentioned: Nigella fumariaefolia and N. Nigellastrum: from Akrotiri: 

 Teucrium Polium subsp. micropodioides. Gladiolus triphylhis and Statice eehioides. Sintenis has also noted 

 a similar vegetation in the copses of Junipierus phoenicea in the neighbourhood of the village of Ormidia. 

 He writes: 



"Unter den Striiuchern und um sie herum bliihte [8 March 1880]: Lagurus ovatus, Festuca 

 distachya, Bromus rubens, Aegilops ovata, einige Carex, Gagea arvensis, Orchis Morio, Ophrys lutea, 

 ArisaruMi, Asterolinum Linum stellatum, Galium murale, G. iricorne, Sherardia arvensis, Lithospermum 

 apuhim, L. arvense, Veronica trip)hyllos, V. Jiederaefolia, Ranunculus leptaleus, Alyssum hirsutum, Thlaspi 

 perfoliatum, Biscutella Columnae, Caucalis, Crassula rubens, Alsine tenuifolia, Stellaria media. Euphorbia 

 falcala, E. Peplus, Mercurialis annua, Erodium cicutarium, Geranium molle, G. dissectum, Apihanes arvensis. 



