334 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [June 



II. — ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF ARCTIC FLOWERING PLANTS IN 

 VARIOUS REGIONS OF THE GLOBE. 



There is but one distinct genus confined to the arctic regions, 

 the monotypie and \ocn\PIeuwpogon Sabini; and there are but seven 

 other peculiarly arctic species, together with one with which I am 

 wholly unacquainted, viz., Mpnolepis Asiatica. The remaining 

 762 species are all of them found south of the circle ; and of these all 

 but 150 advance south of the parallel of 40° N. hit., either in the 

 Mediterranean basin, Northern India, the United States, Oregon, 

 or California ; about 50 are natives of the mountainous regions of 

 the tropics ; and just 105 inhabit the south temperate zone. 



The proportion of species which have migrated southwards in 

 the Old and New World also bear a fair relation to the facilities 

 for migration presented by the different continents. Thus, 



Of 616 Arctic European species, Of 233 Arctic Asiatic species, 



496 inhabit the Alps, and 210 reach the Altai, Soongaria, etc. ; 



450 cross them ; 106 reach the Himalaya ; 



126 cross the Mediterranean ; o are found on the tropical mts. of Asia; 



26 inhabit South Africa. 5 inhabit Australia and New Zealand. 



Of 379 Arctic East American, Of 346 Arctic West American species, 



203 inhabit the United States. 274 are north temperate ; 



34 inhabit tropical American mountains. 24 on tropical mountains ; 



50 inhabit temperate South America. 37 in south temperate zone. 



These tables present in a very striking point of view the fact of 

 the Scandinavian flora being the most widely distributed over the 

 globe. The Mediterranean, South African, Malayan, Australian, 

 and all the floras of the New World have narrow ranges compared 

 with the Scandinavian, and none of them form a prominent feature 

 in any other continent than their own ; but the Scandinavian not 

 only girdles the globe in the arctic circle, and dominates over all 

 others in the north temperate zone of the Old World, but intrudes 

 conspicuously into every other temperate flora, whether in the 

 northern or southern hemisphere, or on the alps of tropical 

 countries. 



The severest test to which this observation could be put is that 

 supplied by the Arctic Scandinavian forms ; for these belong to 

 the remotest corner of the Scandinavian area, and should of all 

 plants be the most impatient of temperate, warm, and tropical 

 climates. The following will, approximately, express the result : — 



Total Arctic Scandinavian forms 5S6 Cross Alps, etc 480 



In North United States, Canada, etc . . . 360 Reach South Africa 20 



In Tropical America 40 Himalaya, etc 300 



In Temperate South America 70 Tropical Asia 20 



In Alps of Middle Europe, Pyrenees, etc. 490 Australia, etc 60 



