206 MARSH PLANTS 



across them are small. On the other hand, many of 

 the plants, which are local with us, are in the Alps 

 often extraordinarily abundant. Nearly all British 

 Alpines are extremely common in Switzerland. Thus 

 those who are to some degree familiar with our 

 British plants can extend their knowledge by further 

 studies within the Swiss Alpine zone. 



It is also a matter of common remark that some 

 of the most frequent of Alpine plants are also 

 abundant with us in England. Here is our British 

 Marsh Marigold, there our British Harebell, flourish- 

 ing, if anything, more vigorously than with us 1 Thus 

 those who are familiar with our wild plants will find 

 many old friends within the Alpine zone in Switzerland. 

 i There are at least 250 Lowland species which ascend 

 I to heights of 5,000 feet or more in the Alps. Further, 

 a very large number, certainly a majority, of Swiss 

 Alpine plants which do not occur in Britain are very 

 closely related to species or genera found wild with 

 us. We will, however, reserve for the last chapter 

 some discussion on the relationship of the Swiss 

 Alpine flora to that of Britain and Northern Europe, 

 and the theories as to its origin. 



The photograph of a Caltha Marsh on the Engstlen 

 Alp (Canton Berne), shown on Plate XXXIX., gives 

 a good idea of how vigorously the Marsh Marigold 

 thrives at an elevation of over 6,000 feet in the Alps. 



