* 
324 ON THE BOTANY OF THE MALTESE ISLANDS IN 1874. 
hrys bombyliflora and O. fusca occurred here and there in thick 
Bie 
patches ; Polygala monspeliaca, Linaria refleca, and Malva eretica, more 
sparingly ; also Myrtus communis, Rubia peregrina, and Clematis cirr- 
a. 
On some wet ground at the source of a small stream I gathered 
Melilotus messanensis, Scirpus globiferus, Carex distans, and another 
very beautiful Carex, which perhaps may be the C. serru rulata, Biv. - 
here 
vegetation inate very scant and stunted. I gathered several 
specimens of a curious form of Euphorbia pinea, which I should yok 
been inclined to consider a distinct species had I not met with in 
mediate forms on a less barren soi 
Gozo.—The island is 9 miles in len gth and about 44 broad. Its sur- 
face is very uneven, and there are several very curious flat-topped hills, 
which at first sight suggest volcanic action, but the peculiarity of their 
shape is easily accounted for by the fact of their being capped with a 
hard limestone overlying m ey Some of i hills assume a conical form, 
as for instance in the neighbourhood of Marsa al Forno, showing that 
they have been denuded of their upper nGsveite of coral limestone, 
and thus unprotected will soon be weathered to a level with the 
surrounding ground. 
In rn Hed every part of the island there are good localities for col- 
lec oo Those which are worthy of special mention are the 
S Gorge f Wied Xlendi,” on the south coast, the district about 
Cala eral and Ramla say. 
Wi dsis a narrow, rocky ravine, which rec ceives the water 
from a little valley called Wied el Lunziata, close to Rabbato, the - 
chief town of the island. Its a sides are profusely clothed with 
rare and beautiful plants, such as 
Silene fruticosa, Hypericu ‘apesedh cum, Orsinia eamphorata, 
nyza Tenorit, Euphorbi nikapile la and E. dendroides, Antirrhinum 
stcul cula, Malva hirsuta, Pre d U. cretica, Psor- 
m 
ptt Vicia leucantha and V. cuneata, otioa minuta, Lathyrus 
tenuifolius, Allium subhirsutum, Convolvulus italicus, C. pentapetaloides 
and C. siculus, Medicago lappacea, C. wee, ae om °C. recta, ids 7 
resupinatum, T. stellatu ae T% ‘cromeria microphylla, 
Lagurus ovatus, Echium calycinum pana wttieney, giochi tubaformis, 
&e. 
The base of the gorge is filled with various kinds of fruit trees, 
which seem to thrive well in such situations. In a shady crevice of 
the rocks there is an abundant growth of Scolopendrium Hemionitis, 
which I discovered here in 1872. It is growing with some very ~ 
plants of Adiantum Capillus- Veneris. On the rocks, especially near 
existerce in these islands. Such was the case also Ww! 
®. 
