94 ON THE VEGETATION OF ETNA. 
sum, Rumez scutatus, Agrostemma Cali 
Rosa, Sagina procumbens, Draba verna, 
ippocrepis unisiliqua, Onosma echioides, 
Thymus Acinos, Satureja Greca, Scali- 
osa montana, Seriola uniflora, Tanacetum 
vulgare, Anthemis montana, Senecio chry- 
santhemifolius, Inula montana, Asperula 
Cynanchica, Galium ZEtnicum, Saxifraga 
trilactylites, very plentiful, and S. hede- 
racea, Scleranthus annuus, Jasione mon- 
m: Oriki sambucina and pallens, 
Serapias 
apias 
ensifolia, Phalaris alpina, Saro nitida, 
Stipa tortilis, Arundo tenaz, Festuca pu- 
mila, elatior and poeformis, (the latter is 
P. Etnensis of Presl), Botrychium Luna- 
ria, Pteris aquilina, very abundant, and 
Asplenium Adiantum nigrum, common. 
From this list we learn, firstly, that the 
vegetation of Etna has nothing in common 
with that of the Alps or of the loftiest 
Apennines, between which again there ex- 
ists a great affinity : and, secondly, that it 
is equally different from that of the Canary 
Islands, to the upper region of, which be- 
long nineteen species of plants which are 
found no where else: while, thirdly, the 
plants of Etna are all common with the 
neighbouring continent and the other parts 
of Sicily, except Cardamine thalictroides, 
which grows in Calabria also; and two, 
Betula alba, and Juniperus hemispherica ; 
all the rest are likewise found in the lower 
regions of Sicily, only one plant, Genista 
Einensis, being peculiar to this mountain. 
A very striking difference will also be 
perceived, when you compare the bounda- 
ries of the various species of trees upon 
Etna with those of the Alps, as stated in 
the following table :— 
— side of Etna, Pier- 
Alps. t. ence, 
CO oL ce ; - LJ00..L 
ec KE 2,200. .1,400 
EN eus 2,500.. 3,300. . 
Chestnut usi, 2,500.. 3,900..1,400 
CURE 4,600.. 6,000..1,400 
BE E 042. 6,200. . 
Boundary of Snow 8,600. .10,448. .1,848 
At first sight it seems to be a striking 
anomaly, that whilst the limits of Corn, 
termined and equal proportion, viz. 1,300 
to 1,400 feet higher up on Etna than on - 
the Alps, the woody boundary on this | 
mountain should not rise to a greater ele- 
vation also. But this anomaly is more ap- — 
parent than real, and is not produced by | 
climate; itis solely owing to the circum- 
stance that the upper surface of Etna isso 
frequently disturbed by volcanic eruptions, - 
showers of ashes, and streams of lava, that | 
x 
no vegetable earth can be formed capable - 
of supporting the growth of trees. A clear - 
proof of this exists in the circumstance that | 
many trees succeed well far higher up in © 
other districts of Sicily, as the White Pop- — 
lar on Timpa dell'Albanello, at an eleva- - 
tion of 7,800 feet. It is easy to see why — 
the Vine, and cultivation of all kinds, does - 
not reach in proportion so far upon Etnaas — 
on the Alps. The highest situated place — 
on the south side of the volcano is Nico- : 
losi, 2,184 feet above the sea; it may, 
therefore, be concluded that cultivated — 
spots will not be seen very far above that 
point, since labour would be difficult, and 
the produce, of course, inferior to that 
which may be procured at a less cost in - 
the immediate neighbourhood of the habi- | 
tations. The plants of the woody region 
the Alps, as are those of the upper region. | 
You see no species of Ribes, Vaccinium, — 
Pyrola, Aconitum, Sazifraga, or Gentian, 
even Fragaria Vesca becomes rare, and 
there is but very little similarity with the 
vegetation of the neighbouring continent | 
of Italy. Almost every where in Calabria, | 
the mountains, at an elevation of 9,500 ta = 
4,800 feet, are clothed with a beautiful - 
green turf, consisting of various Grasses, - 
Globularia cordifolia, Astragalus mon- | 
900 tanus, Alchemilla alpina, Ranunculus — 
oo brevifolius, &c. These meadows, as may - 
easily be supposed, are wanting upon Etna, 
and not one of the above-named plants are - 
to be seen upon it; even the vegetation of — 
the other high Sicilian mountains does not - 
Pu 
1 
Olive, Chestnut, and Beech stand in a de- : i 
NS 
a 
of Etna are equally different from those of | 
—— = PR 
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e 
— 
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occur upon Etna. 
There is some similarity with the vege- - 
tation of the Canary Islands, where the 
