254 - Observations on Humboldt's Works 



although we had reason to expect the greatest accuracy, in re- 

 gard to those last mentioned, in the work before us. 



At p. 240, the author says that, the GlumacecB and Compositce 

 excepted, the most numerous families in the polar zone are the 

 Cari/ophyllecBj Amentacece, and Ericince ; but, p. xiv., there are allot- 

 ted to Lapland 22 Cruciferce, and only 20 Ericince. TheLegumi- 

 nosce, CrucifertE and Labiatce are considered to be the most nu- 

 merous families in the temperate zone, if we except the two first 

 of the abovementioned ; but, p. xiv., to France he ascribes 170 

 Umbellatce, and only 149 Labiatce ; to Germany 86 Umbellatce, 

 and 72 Labiata. In North America only, is the number of Um- 

 bellatee smaller than that of the Labiatce. In respect to the 

 equatorial zone, the Leguminosce , Malvacece and Rubiacece are 

 considered to be the most numerous families, with the exception 

 of the Glumacece and Compositce ; hut, p. xvi., to South America 

 are given 95 Labiatce, and only 80 Malvacece ; and, p. 368, as 

 many as 244 Orchidece. 



3. Of the social and solitary Appearance of Plants. 



p. xxi. 



This part, contains very little more than what has been al- 

 ready said upon the subject, by the author in his Essay, and by 

 WiLLDENOW in his Elements. When M. Humboldt remarks 

 here, that we find in the torrid zone of the New World, scarcely 

 any social plants besides Rhizophora Mangle, Sesuvium Portu- 

 lacastrum, Croton Argenteum and Bambusa Quinduensis, there 

 is a contradiction of what he asserts, p. 369, viz., that the Or- 

 chidece of the torrid zone are distinguished from those of the 

 temperate zone by their social appearance. 



4. Whether, and in what degree, the New and Old 



Worlds possess the same Plants, p. xxii. — xxv. 



It is an important and interesting fact, that amongst the less 

 perfect plants we find more that are common to countries widely 

 distant from each other, than amongst the more perfect. This 

 fact is supported partly by evidence derived from Browns Ge- 

 neral Remarks, viz., that of the Dicotyledonous plants found in 



