38 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



would have taught us the use. All our kitchen. garden plants are 

 so obedient to the variation of climate, lhat they have followed the 

 footsteps of men to almost every region. 



From what has been said, it may naturally be inferred that, after 

 so many and such various changes as plants are subject to, il can- 

 not but be difficult to ascertain the exact point from which each 

 has originated. We shall, however, endeavour to fix something 

 with regard to those of our part of the world, because w : th these, 

 particularly in the northern part of it, we are better acquainted 

 than y\ilh others. As to Greece, we must pass it over, because, in 

 a botanical point of view, it is almost wholly unknown to us. Its 

 flora, however, seems to originate in the Sardinian mountains the 

 coasts of Asia and Africa, and the islands of the Archipelago. Ac- 

 cording to our former position, plants have descended from the 

 highest mountains to the plains, and we here assume five principal 

 Floras lor Europe, namely, the Northern, the Helvetian, the Aus- 

 trian, the Pyrenean, and the Apennine. 



The Northern Flora proceeds from the Norwegian, the Swedish 

 and the Lapland Alps. These nourish in common the plants of the 

 high northern latitudes. The mountains of Scotland seem formerly 

 to have been connected with those of Norway, for the same plant? 

 grow on both. 



The Helvetic Flora takes its origin from the Swiss, the Bavarian 

 and the Tyrolese mountains. The mountains of Dauphiny, and 

 those of Bohemia and Silesia, are only lateral branches of the same 

 chain. All contain a great number of the same plants. 



The Austrian Flora originates in the Austrian, the Carinthian 

 and Steyermark Alps. The Carpathian make a part of the same 

 chain. 



The Pyrenean Flora arises in the Pyrenees. The mountains of 

 Catalonia, Castile, and Valentia, are parts of them. 



The Apennine Flora is derived from the Apeunines, and these 

 send off many secondary branches. 



The Helvetic Flora takes up the greatest space. The whole of 

 Germany, with exception of the Austrian circles and Moravia, Prus- 

 sia, Poland, all France, except the southernmost part of it, the 

 Netherlands and Holland, possess this Flora. 



The Northern Flora extends over Denmark, Sweden, and Russia, 

 arid partly over England. 



