OF THE BRITISn FLORA. loS 



fail to cross over to Ireland.''^ A portion of this Atlantic type was 

 separated by Forbes as Asturian, because the nearest locality on 

 the Continent whence it was presumed by him that these plants 

 had come was the Asturian mountains of North Spain. They 

 consist of six species of saxifrage: — Saxifraga umhrosa, S. elegans, 

 S. hirsiita, S. Geum, S. hirta, S. ajflnis ; two heaths : — Erica 

 Mackaiana, E. mediterranea ; Menziesia polifolia ; Arbutus Unedo 

 (the " strawberry tree ") ; and Arab is eiliafa.f 



Such is an epitome of our present flora with regard to its distri- 

 bution within our own islands. The next thing is to consider its 

 extension throughout the world. We have already seen that the 

 great bulk of our plants included in "Watson's British and English 

 types (containing about three-fifths of the whole flora) is identical 

 with the flora of Germany ; hence Forbes' name of Germanic ; 

 while the Atlantic type of Watson corresponds more especially with 

 the J^orman flora and that of the Channel Islands ; and if we take 

 note of Forbes' Asturian, we find that small and fragmentary sub- 

 flora on the Asturian Mountains of Spain. There remains, then, 

 the Highland, Alpine, or Arctic type. The nearest localities where 

 plants of this group are to be found are the Alps, Pyrenees, Scan- 

 dinavian mountains, and arctic regions generally ; though they are 



* Helianthemum polifolium, Tamarix Gallica, Polycarpon tetrnphyllum, Cor- 

 rigiola littoralis, and Bupleurum aristalum occui' in Devonshire and Cornwall, 

 but do not extend into Ireland. The following are some which are to be found 

 in the Channel Islands, but not in England or Ireland : — Rammcuhis ophio- 

 glossifolitis, Sinapis incana, Helianthemum guttatuin, Silenc quinque-vulnera, 

 Ventaurea aspera, Gnaphaleum lutco-albnm, Cicendia pusilla, Linaria Pelis- 

 seriana, Ecliium plantagineiim, Armeria plantaginea, Orchis laxiflora, Scirpus 

 punge)is, Lagurus ovatus, Cynosuriis cristatus, Bromus maximus, Gymnogramme 

 leptophglln , Ophioglossum lusitanicum. 



f Subjoined are a few selected plants in order to illustrate the subfloras of 

 Watson : — 



1. British tj'pe. Betula alba, Corylus Avellana, Salix Caprma, Rosa canina, 

 Sedera Helix, Calhma vulgaris, Ranuuculus acris, Tnfolinm repens, Lotus cor- 

 nicidatus, Bellis perennis, Myosurus mviinius, Urtica dioica, Lenuia minor. Boa 

 annua, Pteris aqutlina. Polygonum avieulare. 



2. English type. Rhamntis catharticiis, TJlex nana, Tamus communis, Bryonia 

 dioica, Hottonia palustris, Chlora perfoliata, Sison amomum, Linaria Elatine, 

 Ranunculus parvijiorus, Lainium Galeobdolon, Hordemn pratense, Ceterach 

 officinarum. 



3. Scottish tj'pe. Empetrum nigrum, Rubus saxatilis, TroUius europceus 

 Geranium sylvaticum, Uabenaria albida, Ligusticum scoticum, Lithospcrmum 

 maritimtim. 



4. Highland tj'pe. Azalea procumbens, Gherleria sedoides, Veronica alpina, 

 Alopecurus alpinus, Phlceum alpinum, Jiincus trifidus, Sibbaldia procumbens, 

 Erigeron alpinum, Gentiana nivalis, Salix herbacea, Silenc acaulis, Saxifraga 

 stellaris, Oxyria reniformis, Thalictrum alpinum, Rubus Chameemorus, Epilobium 

 ulsinifolium, Bryas octopeiala, Alchemilla alpina. 



5. Germanic type. Frankenia Iccvis, Anemone Pulsatilla, Reseda lutea, Silene 

 noctijlora, Silene conica, Pimpinella magna, Pulicaria vulgaris, Atriplex pediin- 

 culata, Aceras anthropophora, Ophrys aranifera, Spartina stricta. 



6. Atlantic type. Sinapis monensis, Mntthiola sinuata, Raphanus maritimus, 

 Sedum anglicum. Cotyledon umbilicus, Barfsia viscosa. Euphorbia Pvplis, E. 

 Portlandica, Sibthorpia europcea. Erica vagans, E. ciliaris, Polycarpon tctra- 

 phyllum, Adiantum Capillus- Veneris, Cynodon Dadylon. 



