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



307 



it is gradually in greater heights above sea-level replaced by the sub-species P. bnttia. The relation 

 between the distribution of this sub-species and the typical species highly merits, however, to be examined 

 more closely. 



Where the "Aleppo Pine" forest is best developed, for instance in the neighbourhood of Stavros 

 tis Psochas, the pines may occur in almost pure growth (Fig. 129). From the bottom of the valleys to the 

 highest mountain-ridges they cover the slopes with fine forests. In more open places several specimens of 



Fig. 133. Sorbm Aria subsp. cretica near the Forest-Border on Ohiouistra. 



Qnercus alnifoUa, Acer ohtnsifoUum and Pistacia Terehinthus grow under the pines. Besides these, several 

 other trees also occur in tracts where the pine-forest is less pure, thus for instance Arbutus Andraehne, Olea 

 europaea, Crataegus Azaroliis and monogyna, Quercus coccifera, Styrax officinalis, a. o. On the forest 

 ground grow low copses, mainly consisting of Cistus villosus var. creticus and Salvia triloba subsp. libanotica. 

 Here grow also several vigorous perennial herbs, amongst others Asphodelus ramosus subsp. microcarpus, 

 Astragalus lusitaniciis (called by the peasants by the name of Apzoxouiaia on account of the resemblance 

 of its pods to those of Vicia Faba), Origanum syriacuvi subsp. dtihium, Centaurea cretica, Scutellaria 

 hirta, Teucrium Kotschyanum, Lactuca cretica. In some places, for instance in the vicinity of the village 

 of Lagoudhera, the large, handsome Paeonia corallina grows in abundance; this species is otherwise as a rule 

 restricted to the pine-forests of more elevated localities, where Pinus nigra subsp. Pallasiana is predominant. 

 A number of annual herbs occur as a rule on the forest soil, e. g. Trifolium procumbens, Galium murale, 

 Vaillantia hispida. Of ferns Pteridium aquilinvm is often met with. From Origanum syriacum, especi- 

 ally common in the western part of the island, considerable quantities of a valuable etheric oil are destil- 



