io Salter, Flora oj Teneriffe. 



bulbils, also occurs, causes the uplands of La Laguna to glow with 

 colour. Nicotiana glauca, from the Argentine, flourishes every- 

 where, becoming a shrub and sometimes a small tree. Ricinus 

 communis grows to the size of a small orchard tree and forms a 

 woody trunk 40 cm. in diameter. 



B. — The Cloud Region 



This is characterised by woods and thickets of evergreens 

 (" Monte Verde "■), with pine-forest (" Pinar ") above. This region of 

 greater rainfall and more permanent moisture commences at about 

 730 m. (2400 ft.). The Monte Verde extends roughly to 1220 m. 

 (4000 ft.). Above this the Pinar, where not destroyed, occupies 

 more or less of the next two thousand feet, and may exceptionally 

 push its outposts to a much higher level (uppermost pines at base of 

 the Sombrerito above Vilaflor at 2400 m. — i.e. 7874 ft.). As the 

 cloud-girdle usually extends from about 700 m. to 1600 m. (2300 to 

 5300 ft.), the raison d'etre of the Monte Verde is evident. Its lower 

 portion is encroached upon by cultivation (corn, lupins, beans), 

 which extends up to 1000 m. (3280 ft.). Groves and plantations of 

 Spanish chestnuts (Castanea) and peach and almond orchards have 

 also been made at the expense of the Monte Verde. The region of 

 chestnut groves is familiar to those Orotava tourists who make the 

 ascent to Agua Mansa, 1185 m. (3890 ft.). With a cooler and fresher 

 air, they note the appearance of sweet violets, water-cress, broom 

 (Sarothamnus), Fragaria vesca, Taraxacum dens-leonis, Myosotis 

 sylvatica, of bramble-thickets and brake-fern. Like the broom, 

 the gorse (XJlex etiropceus) is said to have reached the island from 

 Madeira. It covers the Mesa de Mota (760 m.) above La Laguna, 

 and as one goes west is seen not unfrequently but locally and in small 

 amount. 



The Monte Verde is most richly developed in the coolness,, 

 moisture and shade of the deep barrancos. Ferns, mosses, liver- 

 worts and lichens are abundant in this dripping region, where only 

 are still to be found vestiges of the laurel woods formerly of much 

 wider extent. 



The open slopes, on the other hand, are overgrown with cistus 

 (the white-flowered C. monspeliensis, and C. vaginatus with large 

 rose-coloured flowers) and tree-heath (Erica arbor ea), with a large ad- 

 mixture of Pteris aquilina. Attached to the roots of the cistus is 

 everywhere seen the orange and red parasite, Cytinus hypocystis. 

 Here, too, are grassy slopes which in April are at their most flowery 

 stage, to which bushes of Ononis laxiflora, tall regiments of Aspho- 

 delus ramosus, masses of a Lathyrus resembling sylvestris and the 

 purple stars of Romulea grandiscapa chiefly contribute. There is 

 nothing else in the island which suggests the Alpine pastures. 



The Monte Verde at the present day is far from being a continu- 

 ous belt, but where it occurs the two species of Cistus, the native 

 holly (Ilex canariensis) , Erica arbor ea and Myrica fay a (the 



