Note 3 — Chapter II

In the Herbarium of the late Mr. Webb, now in the Museum at Florence, the plants gathered by him during his short expedition to Marocco are preserved as a separate collection. Amongst these are some fragments of the Atlantic cedar, which would appear from the accompanying label to have been obtained by him at Tetuan from some native of the Riff Mountains. It is probable that the same tree may be widely spread throughout the unexplored mountain districts of North-eastern Marocco. Gerhard Rohlfs, the only European who is known to have traversed the high mountain region S. of Fez, describing the fine valleys inhabited by the powerful tribe of the Beni M’ghill, says that the prevailing trees were larches of greater dimensions than he had ever seen elsewhere. He declares that he measured several stems from three to four metres in girth, and that such were not uncommon. It is in the highest degree improbable that the larch, which in Europe finds its southern limit in the Pyrenees, should extend to Marocco; and, as Mr. Rohlfs has no knowledge of botany, it is most likely that the tree which called forth his admiration is the Atlantic cedar.