787 



press, by a single term, the leading character of their distribution, 

 with reference to geographical position and climate. Six types of 

 distribution were particularly mentioned; under one or other of 

 which, it was thought, nearly all the species of plants indigenous in 

 Britain might respectively be arranged. No attempt, however, was 

 made to define the precise limits of the types geographically. Nor, 

 indeed, could any exact boundary lines be traced on a map, without 

 abruptly cutting asunder the fine gradations of Nature ; for the types 

 pass into each other without any hard or abrupt lines of distinction. 

 In slightly describing the several types, in the former volume, a dif- 

 ferent order of succession was adopted, and consequently the nos. 

 affixed to them were different also ; but in other respects they were 

 essentially the same as the following : — 



" 1. The British Type. — In this group will be included those spe- 

 cies which are found in all, or nearly all, of the eighteen provinces 

 before explained ; and which, moreover, are not so exclusively pre- 

 valent or predominant in any particular portion of the island, as to 

 bring them clearly within one or other of the following types. Some 

 of the species may be regarded as of universal occurrence in this 

 country, growing in all the eighteen provinces, probably in every 

 county, and even in all the six ascending zones of vegetation or cli- 

 mate also. Fevf species, however, even of this most general type, 

 are so very general in their distribution. By far the larger portion of 

 species have a restricted zonal range. Many, too, which are general 

 with reference to the provinces, are absent from some of the counties. 

 And a considerable number of species which are too widely and 

 abundantly distributed to allow of their being placed under any of 

 the other types, are yet rare or wholly wanting in one or more of the 

 provinces ; particularly in the northerly provinces of Scotland, and 

 more especially in that of the North Isles, which has a very scanty 

 Flora. The species which are thus characterized by their general 

 presence and prevalence, or rare only in those tracts which are sel- 

 dom visited by botanists, become familiarly known and contemned 

 under the designation of " common things ;" and being much neg- 

 lected, in consequence, it has often been found difficult to ascertain 

 their true distribution and comparative frequency, on recorded evi- 

 dence. It is to be observed that the name of 'British type' is ap- 

 plied to them, not on any hypothetical notions of their origin within 

 Britain, but because such a general distribution and prevalence indi- 

 cates great adaptation to the climate and other local conditions of 

 this country, and entitles them to be considered thoroughly native 



