THE COLDER TEMPERATE ZONE. 57 



blossoms and of dazzling colours, growing together in turf- 

 like patches. The flowers which grow in the greatest num- 

 bers are the bright yellow Mountain Globe-flower (Trollius 

 Europ&us], the dark purple Monk's-hood (Aconitum Na- 

 pellus], a kind of Spurge (Euphorbia pilosa), Coral wort 

 (Dentaria enneapliyllos] , a Valerian (Valeriana tripteris), a 

 Yiolet (Viola biflora], one or two kinds of Gentians (Gen- 

 tiana Germanica and G. obtusifolia] , Hawkweed (Hieracium 

 vittosum), and a kind of Groundsel (Senecio alpinus). 



But we must mount to a higher region still before we 

 reach the crowning beauty of the mountain flora, the 

 mingled garland of Rhododendrons, or Alpine Roses, as they 

 are called and shrubby, dark green Firs,* encircling the 

 alpine meadows at the height of some six thousand feet. 

 These two characteristic kinds of shrub Rhododendron 

 Jtirsutum and Pinus Pumilio which grow here to the size 

 of bushes, are almost impenetrable in some places ; so that, 

 between them, they choke all other vegetation. Masses of 

 the large blue Gentian (Gentiana acaulis) are another cha- 

 racteristic of the "Alpine region," with from thirty to 

 fifty blossoms in a cluster, set so close together that the 

 finest blade of grass could scarcely make its way between. 



* Called in Germany " Knieholz." 



