THE FLORA OF WESTERN CHINA ii 



family being purely insular and confined to the Southern 

 Hemisphere. 



The affinity of the Chinese flora, with contiguous and 

 distant countries, is an interesting theme and one that could be 

 enlarged upon at length. The Himalayan flora is represented 

 by certain species in Western and central China, and there 

 is a considerable affinity between the floras of these regions. 

 This is to be expected, yet it presents problems of exceptional 

 interest, since it is theSikhim element whichcomes out strongest. 

 When the flora of Bhutan and of the country between Bhutan and 

 Western China is properly explored it will probably be found 

 that Sikhim represents the most western point of distribution 

 for certain plants rather than their real headquarters. Of 

 Himalayan plants commonly met with in the region, with which 

 this work is intimately concerned, the following examples 

 may be given : Evonymus grandiflora, Euptelea pleiosperma, 

 Clematis montana, C. grata, C. gouriana, Rosa sericea, R. 

 microphylla, Primula sikkimensis, P. involucrata, Podophyllum 

 Emodi, and Amphicome arguta. In Yunnan there is a decided 

 affinity with the Malay-Indian flora. 



The aggressive nature of the Scandinavian (British) flora 

 is evidenced by the following herbs and shrubs which are 

 locally very common : Vervain {Verbena officinalis), Agrimony 

 [Agrimonia Eupatoria), Buttercups {Ranunculus acris, R, 

 repens, and R. sceleratus), Silver- weed {Potentilla anserina), 

 Great Burnet {Poterium officinale), False Tamarisk {Myricaria 

 germanica), Ivy {Hedera Helix), Bird Cherry {Prunus Padus), 

 and Plantain {Plantago major) . 



In the north and throughout the upland valleys and high- 

 lands of the west a few Central Asian and Siberian forms occur, 

 such as Sibircea Icevigata, Spircea alpina, Cotoneaster multiflora, 

 Thalictrum petaloideum, Delphinium grandiflorum, and Lonicera 

 hispida. 



At first sight it would very naturally be supposed that the 

 Chinese flora was most closely allied if not to that of Europe 

 at least to that of the Asiatic continent generally. Yet this 

 is not so. The real affinity is with that of the Atlantic side 

 of the United States of America ! 



This remarkable fact was first demonstrated by the late 



