149 



very insipid taste, but are much eaten by the people. Rep.). 

 These fruits are also greatly improved by cultivation. 



We have obtained a similar work from J. Bateman on the 

 distribution of the Orchidacece*. This splendid family of 

 plants contained in Linnaeus's time only 100 species, and has 

 at present increased to 2000. Europe possesses but few Or- 

 chidaceae ; they occur more numerously and beautifully the 

 nearer we approach the torrid zone, in the moist districts of 

 which they appear in astounding numbers of species and 

 splendour of colour, and in this surpass all other families of 

 plants. Africa, Asia and America are probably equal in the 

 present number of Or chidacece, but each of these quarters of the 

 globe seems to possess some characteristic forms peculiar to it, 

 so that the botanist might already tell from the physiognomy 

 of the plant its country. The forms with pendent stems and 

 splendid flowers of many Dendrobia, Aerides and their allies 

 give the character of the beautiful orchidaceous Flora of India, 

 which is strongly contrasted with the forms of the Bulbophylla 

 or the long appendages of the species of Angrcecum of Africa. 

 America presents on the other hand the erect forms of the 

 Epidendrum, the long isolated branches of many Orchidece, 

 and a greater variety of gigantic and more wonderful forms than 

 any other portion of the globe. It is hardly possible at pre- 

 sent to enter into any further statistical investigation of the 

 distribution of the various forms of Orchidece. 



Ph. Writgenf has published a valuable memoir on the geo- 

 graphical relations of the plants of the Prussian province of 

 the Rhine. First the physical relations of the superficies of 

 the district are described, such as position, boundaries, size, 

 climate, and distribution of the mountains, with a statement of 

 their highest points, for which purpose a large number of mea- 

 sured heights are enumerated. The surface of the Rhenish 

 province may be divided, according to the state of cultivation, 



into Acres. Acres. 



Corn fields 4,337,691. Land gone out of tillage 673,467. 



Woods 3,148,713. Roads and rivers 297,573. 



Meadows and pastures 905,313. Gardens and plantations 240,841. 



Wastelands 870,396. Vineyards 44,756. 



10,217,450. 



* The OrchidacetB of Guatemala and Mexico, 1 Fasc., fol. 



f" Erster Jahresbericht des botanischen Vereins am Mittel und Nieder- 

 rhein. Bonn, 1837, p. 62, &c. 



