ALOY'SIA, a genus of plants of the natural order rerbenacem (q.v.), to which belongs a shrub, A. citriodora, much cultivated in greenhouses and apartments in Britain for the grateful fragrance its leaves emit when slightly bruised. It is frequently to be seen in the windows of cottagers, and is by them generally named verbena. It was formerly known to botanists as verbena triphylla, and has also been referred to the allied genus lippia. The leaves are in whorls of three. It is a native of Chili. In the Channel islands and the s. of Ireland, it becomes a luxuriant shrub in the open air, reaching a height of 10 to 25 ft., with osier-like shoots.
ALP, Arai, also called the Rauhe or Swabian Alp, is a chain of mountains above GO in. in length, and from 12 to 15 in breadth, situated between the Neckar and the Danube. It forms the water-shed between these two rivers and the basin of the Rhine. and lies almost entirely within the kingdom of Wilrtemburg. It is also in the vicinity of the Black Forest, but presents a totally different appearance, on account of its being clothed with forests of hard wood instead of pine. It forms a table-land intersected by a few
narrow deep valleys. The average height of the system is rather more than 2000 ft. On the n., it descends to the Neckar in ridges of rocky cliffs, and abrupt pointed head lands; but on the s., it gradually slopes away to the level of the valley of the Danube. The scenery is often very picturesque, for the' sharp, precipitous crags are frequently crowned with the strongholds, generally ruins of the famous old German families. such as the llolienzollerns, Holienstaufens. etc. The geological formation of the A. is cal careous, and presentS >i regular stratification. of a very remarkable character abound among the rocks. The valleys at the base of the hills are fertile, and produce abundance of wine and fruit, but the high table-land has an extremely poor and barren soil. •