338 jRozssier's Elenchus Plantarum 



Caliente," or semi-tropical region of Spain, and on its vega, or plain, the 

 sugar, cotton, cherimoya, and coffee are to be seen. For a district like this 

 the 1st of April was rather late to commence; and, although on the whole the 

 season from that date until the middle of August, which appears to have been 

 that devoted to his tour, is the best for the purpose, we may easily imagine 

 that some species must have been overlooked, which would have shown 

 themselves had the observations been made during other periods. The 

 principal part of the species were collected by the author : but he appears to have 

 been assisted by M. Hasntsler of Malaga, and a botanist called Rambur, whom 

 we suppose to be of the same place ; and he has had the advice and assistance 

 of his illustrious countryman Decandolle in arranging his collections. 



We have two valuable recommendations in favour of the work : one, the 

 care with which the species nearest allied to the newly described ones are 

 given, or their points of difference indicated ; the other, the attention which 

 has been paid to the elevation at which the plants were found, an invaluable 

 point to every one, but especially so to those acquainted with this the most 

 curious and interesting district in Europe. 



We shall proceed to give a few of the more remarkable species of which 

 the descriptions are full in the book, to which we must refer those who may 

 be desirous of more detailed information, and more especially of those found 

 at a great elevation. 



We have five species of iJanunculus, of which the more interesting is a 

 variety of R. montanus, very much like a species from Persia and Mount 

 Libanus, found at an elevation of 8000 ft. to 9000 ft. on the Sierra Nevada. 

 A beautiful Paeony was found at 5000 ft. to 6000 ft. on the Sierra Nevada 

 and Tejeda, nearly connected with P. corallina and P. lobata. The Ptilotri- 

 chum purpureum, a beautiful species near the ^lyssum, was found on the Sierra 

 Nevada at 8000 ft. to 10,000 ft. elevation. Another species, the P. longicaulis, 

 was found to flower in August, though placed as low as 2500 ft., proving what 

 we have already observed, that the period allotted is too short to give a com- 

 plete flora. We have five Helianthema, most of which appear to be mere 

 varieties of well known species ; but one, under the name of Caput Felis, is 

 described as of uncommon elegance. A violet very nearly resembling V. 

 montcenisia was found at 9000 ft. to 1 1 ,000 ft. A species of Acer under the name 

 of A. granatense is given, which is allied to A. monspessulanum and neapoli- 

 tanum, and was found at 5000 ft. to 6000 ft. A IPles. was found near Ronda, 

 which appears to be a variety of U. provincialis, but differing in the larger 

 size and form of the flowers. Two new varieties of Cytisus, and one of 

 Genista, were found in the vicinity of Malaga ; and a very elegant Adenocarpus, 

 growing 15 ft. to 20 ft. high in the warm valleys of the Sierra Nevada, at 4000 ft. 

 to 5000 ft. elevation, which would be a valuable addition to our shrubberies. 

 Several extremely interesting genera amongst the other Leguminosre were found 

 at various altitudes ; amongst others Jnthyllis tejedensis, which forms beautiful 

 carpets in the Sierra Tejeda and Nevada, at 3000 ft. to 6500 ft. amid the lime- 

 stone of those districts, the aridity of which few plants are able to brave. A 

 beautiful Coronilla (eriocarpa) was found in the same locality, nearly similar 

 to C. squamata of Cavan. The Hippocrepis prostrata, near to the H. comosa, 

 was found at the foot of the precipitous rocks called the V'acares on the Sierra 

 Nevada, 7000 ft. Of the Rothcess, Frunus Rhambum, a variety of P. spinosa, 

 was found amongst the deserts of the Sierra Nevada, 5000 ft. to 6000 ft. 

 The Potentilla nevadensis, with yellow flowers, somewhat near P. ambfgua 

 and P.geranioides, was found very rarely in the fissures of the rocks near the 

 summit of the Sierra Nevada, 9000 ft. to 10,000 ft. A new Cotoneaster 

 (granatensis), resembling, but distinct from, C. Fontanesw, occurs in the 

 higher valleys of the same range, 5000 ft. to 6000 ft. Crataegus granatensis, 

 an interesting tree, which is described as from 25 ft. to 30 ft. in height, and 

 with a trunk almost the size of a man's body, was found in the valleys of the 

 Sierra Nevada, where it was growing with Loniceivz arborea, Morbus JVia, 

 A^cer granatense, Taxus baccata, &c, 5000 ft. to 6000 ft. It is nearly identical 

 with C. heterophylla, but is thorny, and has the leaves less smooth and differ- 



