BOTANY 



and E. G. Varenne is sufficient guarantee of the trustworthiness of those 

 records. 



There is no reason to suppose that the flora of the county has 

 changed since the publication of Gibson's Flora. I have botanized 

 through that portion of the county which forms Gibson's district 8, 

 Mr. E. E. Turner of Witham has done much work in district 7, and 

 the Rev. J. T. Powell has contributed a paper to the Essex Naturalist 

 (vi. i) on the existing flora of Epping Forest. I do not know of 

 any species of flowering plants which have been certainly lost to us. 

 Ft/ago gallica has not been found for some years, owing to the field from 

 which it was formerly collected having been left uncultivated. 



In some districts of the county, more especially near the metro- 

 polis, the rapid growth of town threatens the early destruction of the 

 flora. Such abundant plants as the primrose and the wild hyacinth are 

 said to have been almost exterminated in some neighbourhoods, and the 

 advent of the bicycle has unfortunately extended the range through 

 which this destruction may take place. 



DISTRIBUTION 







The chief forces which influence the distribution of plants may be 

 generalized as follows. When we travel north and south we observe 

 considerable change in the flora, and though such changes are not very 

 marked in a small country like England, the distinction between the 

 flora of the tropical, subtropical, temperate and arctic latitudes has always 

 greatly impressed travellers. Again, as we travel east and west a less 

 marked change may be noted. In the latter case the difference in the 

 climatic conditions is not great. In so small an area as that of Essex 

 these changes may be neglected. 



When we climb a mountain, plants which were abundant at the 

 lower levels gradually disappear and new ones take their place. The 

 highest ground in Essex does not greatly exceed 400 feet above the sea ; 

 we should therefore not expect to meet with representatives of the 

 mountain flora, but strange though it may seem our coast produces 

 several plants which are also found high up on mountains, though they 

 do not grow at intervening altitudes. 



The most potent agent in regulating the distribution of plants is 

 undoubtedly climate. The difference between tropical, subtropical, 

 temperate and arctic vegetation is so marked that geologists do not 

 hesitate to tell us that England was once a tropical and later an arctic 

 country, because they find remains of tropical and arctic flora in different 

 strata underlying our eastern counties. 



England was once part of the continent of Europe, and during at 

 least a portion of that time was clothed by arctic plants ; these however 

 gave place to our modern flora, which is similar in character to the 

 flora of Europe, and is therefore no doubt derived from the adjacent 

 continent. 



i 33 5 



