Trees and shrubs

The trees and principal shrubs growing wild in Madeira are the following: the ameixieira de espinho or fustete, the two mocanos, the holly, the perado, the sanguinho, the two wild cherries (one of which is also known as tintureira), the brooms (piornos), the tramazeira(?), the myrtle, the elder, the codesso, the Madeira blueberry (uveira, Vaccinium padifolium), the urze molar, the broom heath (urze das vassouras), the folhado (Clethra arborea, a native tree), the aderno, the marmulano (Sideroxylon marmulano, a shrub), the olive, the pau branco, the Madeira mahogany (vinhático, Persea indica), the barbuzano, the til (Ocotea foetens, Madeiran laurel), the laurel, the figueira do inferno or alindres, the faia, the seixo, the dragon tree, the cedar, the juniper (zimbreiro) and the yew.

These species, which we shall deal with in their proper places, are for the most part rather rare, and some are even extinct or almost extinct. This is owing to the little care taken to propagate them and to the devastation wrought for many years in our mountains by woodcutters, charcoal burners, timber dealers and grazing livestock.

The owners of the coastal steamers were a cruel enemy of our woodlands between 1916 and 1918. During that period their agents cut down many thousands of trees to feed the boilers of those steamers, because the war had driven the price of coal to fabulous heights. The authorities made no attempt to prevent such abuse or to punish those responsible.