BOTANIZING IN BULGARIA. 



7 



as the Ling covers our hillsides so does the Bruckenthalia spiculaefolia 

 form a carpet on some of the mountains. 



On Sunday, Jul)' 2, we left the firwoods behind for a walk up 

 Moussala, the highest mountain in Bulgaria, about 10,000 feet high. 

 On account of the heavy rain the rocky path was more often a mountain 

 torrent, and prickly Junipers formed a verge. We came across many 

 plants which have been already noted ; also Pulmonana rubra, in 

 shady places ; Campanula Steveni, in both shady and sunny places ; 

 Doronicum Orphanidis, in moist spots, was 4 to 5 feet high ; while the 

 dwarfer D. Columnae (D. cordijolium) gave colour to the banks with 

 its bright yellow flowers. The scenery was bold and rugged, the path 

 winding between mountains; bears had left imprints in the soil, and 

 now and then we had a glimpse of the snow-capped Moussala in the 

 distance. The last of all trees on the mountain-side is Pinus monlana ; 

 its branches sprawl along the ground for many yards, and then become 

 erect ; only a few trees are upright from birth. In some districts it 

 covers acres, and is valued by the peasants for firewood, and is known 

 as " Klek." Primula exigua or P. farinosa denudata is a pretty form 

 of the Bird's-eye Primrose without farina on the leaves. Then we came 

 across a great stretch of Primula deorum at its best. Having known the 

 plant only in cultivation I had no idea it could be so beautiful. In the 

 full sun the thousands and thousands of half nodding rich purple 

 violet flowers were a feast for the gods. The site was a moist, grassy 

 meadow. This Primrose seems to insist on moisture for its well-being, 

 many of the plants growing by streams with roots actually in the 

 water. Near by we collected Gentiana pyrcnaica with its purplish 

 flowers, and the little Campanula orbelica, a relative of C. alpina, but 

 neither of the plants seem happy at Glasnevin. At the end of this 

 grassy glade are inland lakes which are the source of the Maritza River, 

 which flows into the /Egean Sea. The path gets steeper as we get 

 on the rocks, and here we see Arenaria bi flora, Senecio carpaticus, 

 Alsine sedacea, Gnaphalium supinum, Veronica bellidioides, Potentilla 

 Haynaldiana, Saxifraga cymosa, Ranunculus crenatus, the Willow 

 Gentian, and also G. frigida with large white flowers on stems but a 

 few inches high. Herr Kellerer has a fancy for the neat little 

 Plantago gcntianoides, but the silvery leaved P. argentea appeals 

 more to me, and is well worth growing for its foliage. 



Getting near the summit we cross stretches of snow, and on shelves 

 and in crevices of the rocks the Fairy Primrose [Primula minima) forms 

 wonderful masses of flower, and right up to the top we come across 

 Saxifraga junipcrina flowering freely, S. retusa, S. bryoides, Anemone 

 vernalis, Geum reptans, and the beautiful Dianthus microlepis. When 

 we gained the summit the mists cleared and a grand view opened out. 

 Southward were Macedonia and Turkey, and on the north the 

 progressive country of Bulgaria. 



