14 LINKS WITH THE PAST [ch. i 



It is impossible within the limits of a small volume 

 to discuss in detail the evidence furnished by the 

 records of the rocks as to the relative anti(iuity of 

 the different constituents of the present vegetation 

 of Britain. In later chapters a few selected plants 

 are described which are pre-eminently ancient types. 

 Before passing to the consideration of the data on 

 which the geological history of plants is based, brief 

 reference may be made to one of the most interesting 

 and difficult problems of botanical research, namely 

 the history of the British flora. 



