Picture of Organised Nature. 34>7 



distributed, and those which extend the nearest to the snow 

 line. Grassy plains are found in the torrid, temperate, and 

 frigid zones, adjoining the region of lichens. Next to the 

 grasses, the monocotyledonous order Orchideae is, perhaps, 

 the most universally distributed. It occurs in Lapland at 

 800 ft. below the snow line, and abounds as epiphytes in the 

 woods of the torrid zone. " It is remarkable that the Orchi- 

 deae, like the lichens, keep on the ground in the cold and 

 temperate zones, but grow out of the stems of trees, as para- 

 sitical plants, in the torrid zone.'* The ^sphodeleae are almost 

 as far diffused as the Orchideae, and next the order ^sparagineae, 

 the ^roideae, the liliaceous plants, the /rideae, the Hydro- 

 charideae, the Jiinceae, and the Cyperdide<£. 



Dicotyledonous plants have a large proportion of shrubs 

 and trees, while the Monocotyledoneae have very few, and the 

 Acotyledones scarcely any. Of all the Dicotyledoneae, the 

 (Saxifrageae occur most frequently, and in the greatest numbers 

 on the snow line ; thence they extend, as herbaceous plants, 

 towards the temperate zone, where the only shrubs and trees 

 that have any affinity to them are Hydrangea and Weinman- 

 nia, Caryophylleae are in general peculiar to the cold and 

 temperate zones, and also Gentidnece and i2anunculaceae. 

 Labiatae spread to a great extent, beginning in the vicinity of 

 the snow line with A'juga alpina, and passing thence to the 

 torrid zone, increasing in number, magnitude, and beauty. 

 The Cruciferae, or podded plants, begin with some herbs at 

 the snow line, and extend over the cold, and greater part of 

 the temperate, without reaching the torrid, zone. This order 

 probably reaches its utmost perfection between 50° and 60^ 

 north latitude. Legumin^sae, a very numerous order, begin 

 near the snow line, and extend, with a continually increasing 

 abundance, over the temperate and warm zones, where they 

 produce tall trees with winged leaves and beautiful blossoms. 

 Many of the alimentary herbs of the temperate zones are of 

 this order, as clover, peas, beans, &c. The Syngenesious plants, 

 or plants with combined anthers, are for the most part herba- 

 ceous, and are spread over the whole earth, attaining their 

 greatest perfection in the temperate zone. The Umbelliferae 

 commence at some distance from the snow line in herbaceous 

 plants, and spread over the temperate zone to the warmer 

 climates, increasing in that direction in number, size, and 

 beauty. Umbelliferous plants are seldom found nearer the 

 equator than 30°. The Scrophularineae are herbaceous at 

 some distance from the snow line, and in the temperate zone, 

 and become shrubby in the torrid zone. J?osaceae commence 

 with herbs at the snow line, and, in the temperate zone, in- 



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