300 THE ORIGIN OF THE FLORA 



plants common in Alpine Switzerland, such as Caltha 

 palustris, Linn. (p. 205), Dryas octopetala, Linn, 

 (p. 106), Androsace chamcejasme, Jacq. (p. 74), 

 Pyrola uniflora, Linn. (p. 261), Primula farinosa, Linn, 

 (p. 69), Saocifraga oppositifolia, Linn. (p. 186), Juni- 

 perus communis, var. nana, Willd. (p. 233), and 

 Empetrum nigrum, Linn. (p. 231). These are 

 associated with a large number of plants unknown 

 to Europe either generically or specifically, such as 

 Claytonia and Gaillardia. 



Thus we see that the distribution of the Swiss 

 Alpines beyond the Alps affords an exceedingly 

 interesting study. 



THE ORIGIN OF THE Swiss ALPINE FLORA. 



Any theory, which is to account adequately for 

 the origin of the Swiss Alpine flora, must explain the 

 facts of the present-day distribution and affinities of 

 these plants, which we have just passed under review. 



The study of this problem has thus naturally two 

 sides : the historical and the geographical. We now 

 pass to consider the historical or geological facts. 



The Alps, like the other mountain regions of 

 Europe, Asia, and North America, began to come 

 into existence as a mountain range during the 

 Oligocene period, and the uplifting of these and other 

 "massifs" continued during Miocene times. They 

 are thus quite modern structures in a geological 

 sense. The elevation of these vast areas was 

 probably comparatively rapid at some epochs, while 



