88 LANDSCAPE PAINTING. 



einerPhysiognomik der Gewachse" ( 12G ) (Ideas towards a phy- 

 siognomy of plants). When rising from local phenomena 

 we embrace all nature in one view, we perceive the increase 

 of warmth from the poles to the equator accompanied by the 

 gradual advance of organic vigour and luxuriance. Prom 

 Northern Europe to the beautiful coasts of the Mediterranean 

 this advance is even less than from the Iberian Peninsula, 

 Southern Italy and Greece, to the tropic zone. The carpet 

 of flowers and of verdure spread over our bare and naked 

 earth is unequally woven ; thicker where the sun rises high 

 in a sky either of a deep azure purity or veiled with light 

 semi-transparent clouds ; and thinner towards the gloomy 

 north, where returning frosts are often fatal to the opening 

 buds of spring, or destroy the ripening fruits of autumn. 

 If in the frigid zone the bark of trees is covered with lichens 

 or with mosses, in the zone of palms and finely -feathered 

 arborescent ferns, the trunks of Anacardias and of gigantic 

 species of Picus are enlivened by Cymbidium and the fragrant 

 vanilla. The fresh green of the Dracontias, and the deep-cut 

 leaves of the Pothos, contrast with the many-coloured flowers 

 of the Orchidese. Climbing Bauhinias, Passifloras, and yellow 

 flowering Banisterias, entwining the stems of the forest trees, 

 spread far and ^dde, and rise high in air ; delicate flowers 

 unfold themselves from the roots of the Theobromas, and 

 from the thick and rough bark of the Crescentias and the 

 Gustavia. In the midst of this abundance of leaves and 

 blossoms, this luxuriant growth and profusion of climbing 

 plants, the naturalist often finds it difficult to discover to 

 which stem different flowers and leaves belong ; nay, a single 

 tree adorned with Paullinias, Bignonias, and Dendrobium, 



