ARCTIC SPECIES 299 



striking. Comparatively few representatives of the 

 southern flora which is in its general aspect quite 

 distinct, are found in the Swiss Alpine region. 

 Among the few Mediterranean types in the Alps are 

 the Crocus (p. 153), the Globularias (p. 110), Biscutella 

 Icevigata, Linn, (a very common Cruciferous plant, 

 especially abundant on dry banks), the Mediterranean 

 Heath (Erica cornea, Linn.), and species of Hutchinsia. 

 Others occur in Tessin (Ticino), which is the only one 

 of the Swiss Cantons which lies wholly on the south 

 side of the Alps. Here Mediterranean types are 

 naturally more abundant, the climate, race, language, 

 and flora being, as we should expect, thoroughly 

 Italian. 



The Swiss Alpine flora must next be compared 

 with that of the Arctic regions of Northern Europe. 

 It is a very remarkable fact that at least 30 per cent., 

 or nearly one-third, of the Swiss Alpine species 

 flourish in the far northern frigid zone. Such 

 plants as Dryas octopetala, Linn. (p. 106), Ranunculus 

 glacialis, Linn. (p. 193), and Saxifraga oppositifolia, 

 Linn. (p. 186), are nearly as abundant in the Arctic 

 regions as in Switzerland, and no fewer than 130 other 

 species are common to both the floras. On the other 

 hand, several important Swiss genera, such as the 

 Gentians, are either absent or very poorly represented 

 in Arctic Europe. 



The flora of temperate North America (United 

 States) is quite unlike that of Western Europe, yet 

 in the Kockies and other ranges we find a number of 



