DISTRIBUTION OF THE OAK TRIBE. 31 



Ixia and Sparaxis, may be classed together ; all the species should be grown, 

 including the carious I. viridijlora. 



Babiana rubro-cyanea, sulphured kermesina, ringens, and speciosa, are very shewy, 

 and not expensive. These, too, may all be had of Mr. Carter. 



The Anomatheca omenta is desirable, on account of its flowering throughout the 

 summer, and is easily raised from seed, which will flower the first year. Should 

 be thickly planted. 



The Bobartea aurantiaca is a pretty hardy bulb of this class, but requires to be 

 planted in autumn, as it is an early flowercr. 



The Pardanthus Chinemis is also hardy in most places, and is vciy desirable. Its 

 blossoms resemble those of the Tiger-flower. 



To these may be added Ferraria undulata, the Tritonias, and Ovieda corymbosa. 



The whole of the above are admirably suited for pot culture, for winch see the 

 notice at page 142, vol. I. 



MISCELLANEA. 



DISTRIBUTION OF THE OAK TRIBE. 



' If the reader should happen to be acquainted only with our own indigenous Oak, though he would 

 recognize in it a vegetable form, which from olden times has continued the symbol of streno-th and 

 the prize of civic virtue, yet he would not derive from it any conception of the rich variety of 

 appearances, which the tribe of Oaks devclopcs in its distribution over the surface of the globe. 



Up to the present time about 230 species of Oaks are known, belonging principally to the northern 

 hemisphere. To the south of the line they occur only on the Sunda Islands, among which, at 

 Sumatra, crossed by the equator, and at Java, in lat. 8° south, there exists a numerous and highly 

 remarkable group of Oaks. It is a striking fact, that they are entirely wanting in the temperate 

 zone of the southern hemisphere, f. i., in New Zealand (35 — 45° S.), in Van Dieman's Land (42° S.), 

 in southern Chili, Patagonia, and Terra del Fuego (45—54° S.) ; the more so, because forests are 

 found there of Beeches, which in Europe ordinarily accompany the Oak, and which count the 

 majority of species in those very parts of the southern hemisphere. 



' With respect to the distribution of the species, only 2 (3) Oaks arc found in Europe, north of tlic 

 Alps. To the south of these, in the southern Europe, bordering in the Mediterranean, there are 

 18 species. That portion of western Asia which approaches nearest to the Mediterranean has 14 

 species. The eastern temperate zone of Asia has 25 species, out of which 20 belong to Japan ; 

 India has 21, and the Islands of Sunda 37 species. The northern coast-lands of Africa possesses 

 seven sorts, the Canary Islands (Madeira) one sort; but none is met with in middle and south 

 Africa, or tin: Islands belonging thereto. New Holland and Australia have no Oaks, nor South 

 America, south of the line. Thus Europe counts 20, Asia 97, and Africa 8 species. But since 

 several of the South European Oaks occur again in Asia Minor and the adjoining countries, and in 

 northern Africa, the sum total of Oaks in Europe, Asia, and Africa, must bo reckoned at 110 

 species. 



'Prom America 101 species of Oaks have already been described ; which number, however, will 



