on I lie Geographif of Plant'^. 253 



I am of opinion, then, that in the Flora of any small district in 

 middle Europe, if we estimate the fungi at §, we shall be near 

 the truth. 



As to the whole number of the Cryptogamia, the proportion 

 of these to the phanerogamous plants, in the above-mentioned 

 Flora, is as 2 : 1; exactly the reverse of that given by the author, 

 for the temperate zone. In Schumacher's Enumeratio they are 

 as, 3 : 2, although this Flora is very defective, in respect to the 

 aquatic Cryptogamia. These proportions by no means agree 

 with the general proportions of the temperate zone ; for plants 

 of diminutive size, are common to a greater number of different 

 districts, than those of a more conspicuous form ; and if we ex- 

 amine any considerable tract of country, we shall find that the 

 latter do not exter.d themselves in the same proportion as the 

 former. In the mean time, we would certainly admit a higher 

 proportion of cryptogamous plants for Germany, and France, 

 than that given by the author. 



At the conclusion of this division, I beg leave to offer a few 

 remarks. The author says, p. xv., that the Labiatce and Umbel- 

 liferce diminish towards the pole, from which we might naturally 

 conclude that they are most abundant in the equatorial zone, 

 especially, as this is the case with the MalvacecB, Euphorhiacecc, 

 and LeguminoscBj with which they are in general associated. 

 But we perceive afterwards that the author reckons these two 

 families, with those that are most abundant in the temperate 

 zone. This is more clearly stated in the Treatise No. 2. Be- 

 sides, it appears, p. xv., that the Caryophyllece mcresise towards 

 the pole ; but this family is not inserted in the table, and, p. xiv., 

 only a comparative view offered, of the number of species of this 

 family in Germany, France, and Lapland. The Coniferce are 

 likewise omitted in the table. When Lapland is compared with 

 France, or Germany, the number of this family is somewhat 

 greater in the former ; but in North America, there is a much 

 greater proportion of species. Several other families, of which 

 the proportion for Germany, France, and Lapland is given, are 

 omitted in the tables, and in the view of South American plants. 



