FLORA OF THE KURILE ISLANDS. 209 



Kiirilo Isliiiuls. Yezo. Snghaliii. Aniur-land. E. Siberia. 



Gentianaccfe. 1.8 1.0 .7 1.2 1.9 



Conifei-.-e. 1.8 1.5 1.4 



Lahiatffi. 1.2 3.2 1.7 2.9 



From this tal)le it is clear that in Rosacese, Ericaceae, Curyophyllaceffi, Scrophulariacefe, Caprifo- 

 liacesB and Borraginacere tlie Kiirile flora is relatively rich ; while in Cyperacese (?), Labiatre and 

 Poh'goiiacere it is comparatively poor. 



Every order which is represented in the Kiirile Islands is also represented in a greater or less 

 degree throughout the northern hemisphere, many passing into the southern. 



As to the genera, one hundred and fifty-six or about eigiity-four per cent of the total number are 

 amphiga^an, that is they ai'e found throughout Europe, Northern Asia and North America. Of the 

 remaining 31 genera, only three, Skimmia, Crawfurdia and AcaiithojMnax, are restricted to eastern 

 and tropical Asia. Twelve genera may be called Europo-Asiatic, of which HemerocalUs, Adenoph- 

 ora, Pleurospermum , ^gnpodmm, Filipendula and Sorharia are so in a strict sense ; while Sonc/ms 

 and Asperida are found also in Africa and Australia; and DianlJais, Swertia, Alopecurus and Gale- 

 opsis? extend to northwestern America. The remaining sixteen genera are more or less confined to 

 Asia and North America. We have only four genera in the Kiu-ile Islands which ai-e peculiar to 

 eastern North America and to eastern Asia. They are Leucolhoe, Diervilla, Hijdrangea and Astilbe. 

 The American genera, Trillimn, Di.ipornm and CliiKonia, are found also in the temperate and 

 mountain regions of Asia ; ^?'«?ta, in eastern and tropical Asia; Dodecatlieon and Claytonia, in 

 northeastern Asia; and Minndus, in extratropical Asia, Africa and Australia. Telrapoma of north- 

 eastern Asia is said to occur also in northwestern America. BoscJiniukia, which is peculiar to the 

 north Pacific borders, recurs in North America in Mexico, and in Asia in Himalaya. 



As to the species, ninety-seven or about thirt}' per cent of the Knriie vegetation are distributed 

 throughout Europe, northern Asia and North America. For the northerly situation of the islands, 

 the proportion of the circumpolar species is comparatively small. We shall leave them entirely out 

 of our consideration while we are discussing in the following pages the character and relative propor- 

 tions of the dificrent elements which constitute the remaining important part of the Kiu'ile flora. 



There are only two endemic species, and these of a rather doubtful character : Draba hirsula, 

 Turcz., and Oxytropis Pumilio, Ledeb. Both of them were founded on a few imperfect specimens and 

 will most likely prove to be forms of some of the nearly related species, in which these regions are 

 parlicularl}' rich. Prmnm C'eraseidos, Max., var. kurihvsh, may prove to be a good species. Its 

 relation to the typical form I have dwelt upon at length in its proper place. 



Seventeen species and two varieties are restricted to the insular limits of Japan and Saghalin ; of 

 these, two species and one variety are peculiar to Hokkaido. 



The largest and most important element is the Novlheaalern Asiatic, whose centre of distribution is 

 to be foiuid somewhere around the Sea of Okhotsk. It numbers 31 species and (5 varieties. The next 

 largest is what I have designated, tor convenience, the Eastern Asiatic, which includes plants of 

 Japan, Saghalin, INIancluuia, Corea and China, but not of Kamtschatka and eastern Sil)eria. This 

 eastern Asiatic element includes 28 species and 3 varieties. Altogether, the species and varieties 

 which are strictly Asiatic in their range of distribution, number 105 and 12 I'espectively. 



Of the species which extend into Europe, there are 55 ; and into North America, 80. Of these 80 

 species, 34 are limited to northwestern Ameiica, which includes Alaska and British Columiiia ; while 

 22 extend further southward on the Rocky Mountains and other high ranges in the Pacific States. 

 The remaining 24 species are all widely distriliuted across that continent, chiefly in its cool temperate 

 region. In the Kuriles we have no species which are limited to the Atlantic States in North Ameiica. 



To give a better idea of the relative im[)ortance of theses elements in the Kurilc flora, the follow- 

 ing table will show their proportions in terms of per cent., the varieties being taken as units, and the 

 circumpolar species entiiely discarded: — 



