on the Geographi/ of Plants, 255 



New Holland ^^j, of theMonocotyledonous ^'g, and of the Aga* 

 luous ^, are European, or North-American species, and partly 

 from the author's observations upon the Flora of South America. 



In respect to the torrid zone of America, the author has 

 changed his opinion as expressed in the Essay. In that work * 

 he thinks that European species undoubtedly appear amongst 

 the cryptogamous plants, but none amongst the phanerogamous. 

 He now admits that monocotyledonous plants, likewise of the 

 Old World appear, there ; but says, that, with the exception of 

 some plants of the sea-coast (Strandpflanzen), he had not dis- 

 covered in the torrid zone of the New World one dicotyledonous 

 plant of the Old World ; and therefore supposes, that in respect 

 to these plants, the same law is observed as BufTon has esta- 

 blished respecting mammiferous animals. 



Although we can very well conjecture, through the analogy 

 of that which Brown has made known of New Holland, that in 

 the torrid zone of America likewise, there are not so many 

 dicotyledonous as there are monocotyledonous plants of the 

 Old World ; we are by no means authorized to conclude that 

 there are none, because none were found by M. Humboldt. 

 I could present a list of near 100 dicotyledonous plants, which 

 according to different authors are common to the hot districts 

 of America, Asia, and Africa, but particularly to the East and 

 West Indies ; and although I will not vouch for the identity of 

 all these species, yet it appears that those brought forward by 

 the author require a more accurate revision ; as has already 

 happened with some classes of animals. 



In a note, p. 34, the author thinks it probable that Europe 

 and North America have been formerly united, because many 

 plants are equally indigenous in both these parts of the world. 

 To me, however, the connexion between this pheenomenon and 

 his conjecture is not very evident, for I do not see why corre- 

 sponding climates in different countries should not produce the 

 same species, which the author himself seems disposed to 

 admit, p. xxii f. If the conformity of the plants could prove 



• Page 20. 



t Zonis frigidis et tempcnUis amborum continentium quasdam plantas ab 

 initio communes /uissc^ slalucndum est. 



