60 ON THE BOTANICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE 



the hedges of the high county of Beira and Entre 

 Ivlinho e Douro. 



Comparatively speaking, Portugal has no great 

 number of plants in common with the rest of Europe; 

 and the resemblance of its Flora even to those 

 of Spain and the South of France, is not found to 

 correspond with the opinion that has been enter- 

 tained of it. And on the other hand, its corres- 

 pondence with that of tlie North coast of Africa, 

 and with that of the South-western districts of Eng- 

 land, is much flronger than could have been sus- 

 pected. Scarcely any resemblance, or at leaft 

 much less than what might have been suspected, 

 exists between it and that of the Levant. I scarcely 

 know one oriental plant which is to be found in 

 Portugal. 



The Portuguese Flora, when united with that of 

 a part of South Spain, displays great originality ; 

 which is chiefly owing to the extensive sandy heaths 

 and barren slate rocks, which in other European 

 countries are not of such extent. A considerable 

 number of the larger species of Cistus, to which 

 heaths only are congenial, and such like plants,, are 



