3 lo Journal of Tra7'd and N'afiirai History 



its features. From a rough calculation, the flora of Abyssinia, 

 excluding the lower Cryptogams, may be estimated at about 2500 

 species. In certain sterile and arid districts it partakes in some 

 degree of the desert character, abounding in fleshy-stemmed 

 Euphorbias and Adeniums, thorny Acacias and Jujube bushes. In 

 other places, again, the presence of balsam-producing trees and 

 shrubs, indicates an affinity to the flora of the opposite coast of 

 Arabia. Notwithstanding the immense desert lying between 

 Abyssinia and the fertile regions of the western coast, a large 

 proportion of the plants are common to both parts. This applies 

 more especially to those occurring above an elevation of 5000 

 feet. In the lowlands, the species peculiar to each coast are more 

 numerous ; but even here the genera are to a great extent the 

 same. Some Abyssinian species extend northwards to the Medi- 

 terranean, others southwards to the Cape of Good Hope, and a 

 very it^N^ excepting ubiquitous tropical weeds, to Madagascar, India, 

 and Australia. Many genera and species are common to the 

 mountains of tropical Africa and the plains of Europe. Several 

 British species are found on the mountains of Abyssinia and 

 Biafra — Cardamine hirsuta, Cerastium vulgatum, Oxalis corniculata, 

 Umbilicus pendulinus, Galium Aparine, Scabiosa succisa, Myosotis 

 stricta, Limosella aquatica, Sibthorpia Europcxa, Solanum nigrum, 

 Rumex obtusifolius, Deschampsia caespitosa, Aira caryophyllea, 

 Poa nemoralis, Kceleria cristata, Vulpia bromoides, Brachy- 

 podium sylvaticum, Asplenium adiantum-nigrum, A. filix-foemina, 

 and Lastrea filix-mas. Besides these species, common to Britain 

 and Abyssinia, many of our other genera are represented by allied 

 species, as — Viola, Silene, Arenaria, Sagina, Hypericum, Geranium, 

 Trifolium, Rubus, Alchemilla, Pimpinella, Cynoglossum, Utricularia, 

 Veronica, Hartsia, Stachys, Calamintha, Polygonum, Thesium 

 Avena, etc. It should be boriie in mind, too, that many of the 

 foregoing species or genera are also found on the Himmalayan 

 mountains, and eastward to China and Japan. 



^^'ith these Euroi)can forms are associated many tropical or 

 subtropical genera, as the following : — Vitis, Schmidelia, Desmo- 

 dium, Vernonia, Mikania, Ubeia, Boleum, Plectranthus, Cyathula, 

 Lasiosiphon, Pilea, Peperomia, Commelyna, Cyperus, Panicum, 

 etc. But of these many, of course, do not ascend to the 

 highest points. The flora has been described as poor in comparison 

 with that of other tropical countries. But this must be under- 

 stood as referring to the number of species dispersed over the 



