BOTANICAL GEOGRAPHY. 27 



of it. We do not know it thoroughly as yet, 

 but what we know of it, is very peculiar. We 

 may hope that Nuttall will describe it botani- 

 cally. It has perhaps several divisions, the 

 mountains, sea shores, and new Albion or new 

 California to the South. It bears the same 

 botanical relation to Sibiria than the Allegha- 

 nies do to Europe. It is distinguished by pecu- 

 liar trees, Firs, Oaks, Maples, the singular 

 Garrya tree, many species of Ribcs, Lupinus, 

 Pentostemon, Cactus, Mimulus, &/c. with 

 peculiar Genera CalocJiortus, Eutoca, Las- 

 thenia, Collomia, Aegochloa, Lewisia, Clar- 

 kia, &/c. The Labiate, Hypericines, Grasses, 

 Fungi and Mosses appear to be scanty. Lili- 

 acea abound, but the Orchides are very few. 

 The floral season extends from March to No- 

 vember in New Albion, but is much shorter in 

 the mountains and to the North. 



Besides the above great Regions of this Con- 

 tinent, there are several other Local Regions, 

 more confined in limits, but well distinguished 

 by peculiar vegetation or growth of trees. The 

 principal of these are 



1 . The swampy pine region, where grow the 

 Schubertia and Cupressus thyoides, from New 

 Jersey to Louisiana, with many peculiar water 

 plants. These swamps are unlike marshes by 

 being sandy and having- a clear yellow water. 

 In the dry places prevail Pines, Hudsonia, &c. 



2. The Sandy Shore Regions all along the 

 margin of our Sea from Long Island to Flori- 

 da; Ilex and Myricas prevail, also shrubs, 

 plants, with palms in the South. The rocky 

 shores of the North are very unlike this. 



3. The Alpine Region or Summits of High 

 mountains, where few trees are found, while 



