^ of the White Mouviains, 9D 



America is, according to Hooker, in Labrador. As many as nine 

 or ten of the alpine plants of the White Mountains belong to the 

 order Ericaceoe. Another example from this order is Rhododen- 

 dron Lapponicum, a northern European species, as its name in- 

 dicates, and scattered over all the high mountains of New Engr- 

 land and New York, occurring also in Labrador, on the arctic 

 sea coasts, and the northern part of the Rocky Mountains. 



It would be tedious to refer in detail to more of these plants, 

 but I must notice two herbaceous species belonging to diflferent 

 families, but resembling each other in size and ha\)it — the alpine 

 epilobiura [E. alpinum or alsine/oUum), and the alpine speed- 

 well ( Veronica alpina). Both are in the United States confined 

 to the highest mountain tops. Both occur as alpine northern 

 plants in Europe, being found on the Alps, on the Scottish High- 

 lands, and in Scandinavia. Both are found in Labrador, and on 

 the Rocky Mountains, and the Veronica extends as far as Green- 

 land. The alpine epilobium is one of the few White Mountain 

 plants that have attained the bad eminence of being regarded as 

 doubtful species. Gray notes as the typical form, that with ob- 

 tuse and nearly entire leaves, and as a variety, that with acute 

 and slightly toothed leaves, which some other botanists seem to 

 regard as distinct specifically. Thus we find that this little plant 

 has been induced to assume a suspicious degree of variability ; 

 yet it is strange that both species or varieties are found growing 

 together, as if the little peculiarities in the form of the leaves were 

 matters of indifference, and not induced by any dire necessities 

 in the struggle for life. Facts of this kind are curious, and not 

 easily explained under the supposition either of specific unity or 

 diversity. For why should this plant vary without necessity, and 

 why should two species so much alike be created for the same 

 locality. Perhaps these two species or varieties, wandering from 

 far distant points of origin, have met here fortuitously, while the 

 lines of migration have been cut off by geological changes, and 

 yet the points of difference are too constant to be removed even 

 after the reason for them has disappeared. If this could be 

 proved, it would afford a strong reason for believing the existence 

 of a real specific diversity in these plants. 



I have said nothing of the grasses and sedges of these moun- 

 tains ; but one of them deserves a special notice. It is the alpine 

 herd's grass (^Phleum alpinum), a humble relation of our common 

 herd's grass. This plant not only occurs on the White Moun- 



