342 
the soil is dry, and possesses little sub- 
stance, while the number of nemoral plants 
becomes very limited : the principal among 
these few, are— Helianthemum guttatum, 
Asphodelus ramosus, Thymus Calamintha, 
Lotus angustifolius, Pteris aquilina, Eri- 
geron viscosum, and a stunted state of 
Hypericum grandifolium. The Pine- 
Trees grow upon the steepest slopes, and 
cover the more elevated descents of the 
mountains. They are rarely seen to crown 
the table-lands which intervene among the 
crests; the edge of the chain which sur- 
rounds the Peak of Ténériffe appears arid and 
naked, such at least is the appearance from 
afar of its towering heights whose lofti- 
est peaks attain a height of 9,000 feet; but 
when we actually reach these frowning 
rocks, the traveller is amazed to detect 
there several vegetables which he had seen 
absolutely no where else. It is necessary 
to scale the precipitous steeps of the 
Sombrerito to gather the Carlina zeran- 
themoides, Cheiranthus scoparius, Pimpi- 
nella Cumbre, or Plantago Teydea (nob.). 
"The Tolpis lagopoda, Bethencourtia Pal- 
mensis, and Thymus Benthamii (nob.) are 
confined to the Peak of Almendro; a sin- 
gle shrub, known to the shepherds by the 
name of Pimientero de la Cumbre, which 
is Rhamnus coriaceus, grows solely on the 
summit of Guaxara; some stunted Junipers 
(Juniperus Cedrus, nob.) crown the cone 
of Cedro; the Rose of Armida (Rosa Ar- 
mide, nob.), and a beautiful variety of the 
Pyrus Aria inhabit exclusively two spots, 
considerably apart from each other, the 
mountain of Rosal and that part of the 
chain of Canadas called Tiro del Guanche. 
Allthese plants, insulated on these volca- 
nic ridges, vegetate there for centuries 
without propagating themselves on the ad- 
jacent Peaks. M. Mirbel has similarly 
. had occasion to remark different instances 
coc En and has alluded to them in 
his finest works. ** Mountainous 
ountris,” he says, ‘‘ possess many species 
of limited or solitary habitats, which con- 
: pe themselves to the heights, and are 
never found on the plains. Thus we see 
the Pyrénées, bs &nd Apennines pos- 
VEGETATION OF THE CANARY ISLANDS. 
sessing each its own Flora, while several 
of the individual mountains on these lofty 
chains nourish their peculiar species, which 
we might fruitlessly seek for in the sur- 
rounding districts." 
When traversing the great circus of the 
Cañadas to reach the Teyda, the eye ex- 
tends in all directions over sheets of tufa 
and torrents of vitrified lava. The Teyda, 
whose summit commands all the surround- 
ing heights, rises like an immense dome 
above this disturbed soil; and yet this re- 
gion, desolate as is its aspect, possesses 
also its peculiar plants. As soon as the 
steeps of the encircling mountains are 
passed, we behold, in all the wildness of 
nature, an aspect of vegetation which would 
lose all its originality if transplanted else- 
where. The shrubby Leguminose prevail 
in this district, which has been laid waste 
by successive volcanic eruptions. Cytisus 
proliferus is the first shrub which offers 
itself to view before we enter the gorges 
of the Cafiadas; but when the central pla- 
teau is once reached, at an elevation of 
7,000 feet, the Adenocarpus frankenwides, 
and then the Cytisus nubigenus, the former 
alone at first, and then both mingled toge- 
ther, obtain sole possession of the soil. 
The Cytisus, called by the natives Retama, 
prefers the volcanic tufa. The other stony 
substances are not, however, destitute of - 
vegetation, many solitary species being 
found on the ancient beds of lava, as Rha- 
pontium Canariense (of Dec. MSS.) which 
grows on the small table-land of Masca; 
Chrysanthemum Broussonetit in the defile” 
of Canada blanca, Echium Auberianum 
(nob.), Polycarpea aristata, Scrophula- 
ria glabrata, Nepeta Teydee (nob.), &. — 
on the piled-up scorie at the base of the 
Teyda. As soon as we begin to scale the 
heights of this Peak, so celebrated in the 
accounts given by former travellers, two . : 
species of different genera, much alikein — 
Qe EE ERU i ET PN TE REES 
the form of their foliage, and perfume d. 
their blossoms, a Violet and a Campion 
(Silene nocteolens, nob., and Viola chei- 
ranthifolia) suddenly make their app s 
ance among the masses of pumice. 
The Retamas become rarer, and finally 
