368 DR. HOOKER'S MISSION TO INDIA. 
which does not even desert the plains, whose climate is otherwise so 
unsuited to the whole natural order. Crucifere, too, were absent, and 
more remarkable still, Grasses, of which I found but one native species. 
Both Poa annua and Trifolium (white Dutch clover) flourished where 
accidentally disseminated, but only in artificially cleared spots (as do 
Spergula, the potato, and Viola tricolor, about Darjeeling). 
Polytrichum is the prevailing terrestrial Moss here, with Bryum, 
Funaria, and Bartramia, al genera complex in organization. On the 
trees the Hypna and Neckere were flung in profusion, with pendulous 
stems a foot or even three feet long. I saw no Sphagnum. Junger- 
mannie presented nothing remarkable ; they are in moderate abundance, 
the much vexed (by botanists) genus Plagiochila predominating. 
Lichens are in admirable profusion, rather the corticolous, however, 
than the — species. Cenomyce, Cladonia, Stereocaulon, and 
on, though present (and where are hig not?), were rare; 
nor are there dbdbeous species of all groups. Pedtidea and Sticta grew 
sparingly on roots and stumps; Borrera, Usnea, and Parmelia, on the 
twigs and branches abundantly. The appressed foliaceous genera, as 
Lecanora, Psora, and Placodium, are scarce; and much more so the 
erustaceous, the Opegraphe, Graphis, Glyphis, Lecidea, Pertusaria, 
Arthronia, Urceolaria, Chiodictyon, &c., which so swarm on the trunks 
of the hot tropical forests, and which I had seen in Ceylon absolutely 
whitewashing the barks 
Ferns I should have mentioned before. I have about sixty species 
from this region, chiefly of temperate genera, except Davallia, which 
rather abounds, and the noble Spheropteris :—Cyatheacee, Alsophile, 
Lygodia, Acrostichum, Gleichenia, the bird's-nest-like Asplenia, Querci- 
frond Polypodiacee, and Adianta affect a lower level. Here Asplenia, 
Aspidia, Pteris, Hymenophyllum, Polypodium, Lomaria, and Davallia; 
are the most abundant; there is a Marattia besides; opodia are 
far from copious ; there appear more Selaginelle than Lge proper. 
The Cryptogamic vegetation, though most luxuriant in individuals and 
in the development of some species, is as inferior to that of the South 
temperate and Antarctic regions as well can be. In New Zealand I 
could gather double the number of noble Ferns in an hour, that I could 
here in a day ; there, or in Fuegia, as superior a number of Mosses ; and 
in Fuegia or Tasmania, an equally greater amount of far more splendid 
Lichens. The supremacy of this temperate region consists in the infinite 
