72 OUTLINE OF PLANT GEOGRAPHY 



of the most beautiful known flowering trees and shrubs, the latter 

 reaching their finest development in the Himalayas where they 

 may become trees of some size. One of the finest of these is R. 

 arbor cum, a spreading tree as large as a good sized apple tree, and 

 in the spring adorned with clusters of blood-red flowers, once seen 

 never to be forgotten. 



Crab-apples, cherries, hydrangeas, dogwoods, cotoneasters, bar- 

 berries, roses, spiraeas, are among the many ornamental shrubs 

 which abound in the Himalayan forests. 



Among the evergreen shrubs which are distinctly east Asiatic, 

 are several members of the tea family, Thea, Camellia, Gordonia. 

 This family is also represented in the south Atlantic United 

 States. 



The very humid climate induces an abundant growth of mosses 

 and ferns, and also many epiphytes, among which are some very 

 handsome orchids, including many species of Dendrobium, some 

 of which are highly prized in cultivation. 



Hooker l gives a very graphic account of the transition from the 

 strictly tropical vegetation of the "Terai" the forest region at the 

 foot of the mountains, to the temperate flora as one approaches 

 Darjiling. 



At 4,000 feet he notes the appearance of raspberries, deciduous 

 oaks and birches, maples, violets, chickweed, strawberries, gera- 

 niums, and other temperate plants, but with these are growing 

 tree-ferns, and such tropical forms as palms, figs, peppers, bamboos, 

 bananas, climbing arums, and many epiphytic orchids, some of 

 these tropical forms extending well into the temperate regions. 

 Owing to the great humidity and mild temperature prevailing 

 here, this region has a much more uniform climate than prevails 

 at similar altitudes in the western Himalaya. 



The region beyond the summit of the main range, Sikkim, was 

 carefully studied by Hooker, who states that this district is most 

 remarkable as a meeting place for representatives of most of the 

 plant-types characteristic of the temperate regions of both the old 

 and new worlds. In addition are many species belonging to the 

 Indo-Malayan flora. Of American genera not occurring in 

 Europe, he mentions the following; Buddleia, Magnolia, Sassa- 

 fras, Hydrangea, Aralia, Trillium, while characteristic Chinese and 



1 Himalayan Journal, I, p. 99. 



