29 



The Geographical Distribution of Mosses in Europe, and 



their Aspects in Nature. 



By Eobert Braithwaite, M.D., F.L.S., V.P. 

 (Read 28th January, 1870 J 



To the unobservant eye Nature discloses nothing, yet she scatters 

 her productions broadcast over this fair world of ours, and by the 

 massing of individuals, or admixture of species, stamps each locality 

 with its own peculiar features. 



Among the plants which take part in this, and to a much greater 

 extent than is generally supposed, are the Mosses, and I have 

 thought that an outline of their geographical distribution in Europe 

 as given by Prof. Schimper, might interest those who do not study 

 them more particularly. 



He divides the whole of Europe into three zones. 



1st. — A Northern Zone, extending from the Arctic Ocean to 

 the 60th parallel of latitude, and thus including N. Russia and the 

 Scandinavian Peninsula, and at its western end descending to 57° 

 so as to take in the N. of Scotland. 



2nd. — A Middle Zone, embracing all the country between the 

 60th parallel, the German Ocean, and the south foot of the Alps, 

 or a line on the 46th parallel from the outlet of the Danube to the 

 mouth of the Garonne. 



3rd. — A Southern Zone, extending south of the last to the 

 Mediterranean and Black Sea. 



The Northern Zone presents sufficient diversity of character as 

 to permit of its division into an arctic and a lower part. 



In this zone about 480 species are found, but the arctic portion 

 has only some 160 ; the individuals however occur in such vast 

 numbers as to impress a decided feature on the landscape, the 

 Polytricha especially give a gloomy aspect to these desert regions, 

 only relieved by great bogs covered with Sphagna, and on the 

 rocks black tufts of Andre wa and hoary Grimmias. 



Yet it is here that some of the rarest species reward the Bry- 

 ologist, and it is in such solitudes as even our own country can 



Journ. Q. M. C. No. 10. d 



