Histoire Naturelles des lies Canaries. 475 



country stretches into plains, which again rise towards the centre of 

 the island, and are rent into valleys and ravines. Here the vegeta- 

 tion is characterized by naked trunks, and pale glaucous foliage, 

 and assumes an African character ; Euphorbia Canariensis prevails, 

 mixed with Kleinice and Plocamce. But in the valleys intersecting 

 this maritime expanse, a much more anomalous mixture is present- 

 ed, for the introduced species, the date, papaw trees, orange, peach, 

 and banana, mingle with the Dracaena, Bosea, and Ardisia. The ra- 

 vines in these islands also affect a peculiar character; they are com- 

 monly like large fissures radiating from the centre, with precipitous 

 basaltic walls on each side, often 800 feet in height, and sometimes so 

 near and narrow, that the plants on either side weave a canopy 

 above. At their entrance, the vegetation of the coast is prevalent, 

 but it changes with rich luxuriance, and ultimately assimilates with 

 the character of the woods, and exhibits scenes of grand and pictur- 

 esque beauty. Thus they lead to the region of the forest, where 

 the laurels prevail over all the other woody plants, and where 

 the four Canarian species, L. Canariensis , Indica, barbusana and Per- 

 seafcetens, mingle with the heaths, Visnece, Ilex, and Arbutus. Next 

 rise the wasted plains where vegetation, at first luxuriant, becomes 

 gradually more thin and scattered, and at last is restricted to bushes 

 of Cytisus and Pteris, which spreadin masses to the boundaries of the 

 pine woods. The Canary pine, in general form and appearance, re- 

 sembles the species of Europe, and this region calls to mind the ap- 

 pearance of our alpine forests. It grows on the steep slopes, and 

 more elevated descents of the mountains, but seldom surmounts the 

 crests of the ridges. Underneath these gigantic trees, the soil is dry 

 and light, and the number of nemoral plants is comparatively limit- 

 ed. Ascending still higher, the pinnacles which surround the 

 peak, when seen at a distance, appear bleak and barren, but even 

 here there are several plants which cannot be elsewhere gathered, 

 such as Carlina xeravlhemoides, Cheiranlhus scoparius, or the Plan- 

 tago Teydea ; a single shrub Rhamnus coriaceus grows only on 

 the summit of Guaxana ; the Juniperus cedrus crowns the cone of 

 Cedro, while the Rose of Armida, and a variety of Pyrus aria inha- 

 bit exclusively two spots considerably apart from each other, the 

 mountain of Kosal, and the Tiro del Guanche of the Canadas, — and 

 above this elevation, when the traveller reaches the peak itself, the 

 ' Teyda," the vegetation of these wild regions is found to be alto- 

 gether original. Cytisus prol'tferus is the first shrub which is seen 

 on entering the gorge of the Canadas, then Adenocarpus frankenioides 

 and Cytisus nubigenus ; lastly, Silene nocleolens, and Viola cheiranthi- 

 folia, appear on the peak itself, among masses of pumice, the last of 



