32 THE GEOGRAPHY OF PLANTS. 



commemorate by its name the illustrious 

 Swede, the reformer of all previous systems of 

 natural history, and especially of botany. 

 Among other wood plants of our land may be 

 mentioned the lily of the valley, (Convaltaria 

 najalis,) Solomon's seal, (Convallaria multi- 

 flora^) the wood-ferns, (Lastrcea multiflora, and 

 L. filix mas,) the herb Paris, (Paris quadrifo- 

 Ucfj) the ophrys, (Epipactis latifolia,) the sweet- 

 peas, (Lathyrus sylvestris, and L. latifolius,) the 

 butterfly orchis, (Habenaria clilorantha,) and a 

 multitude of other interesting plants. Of the 

 trees which compose the woods and forests of 

 our globe, and of the smaller forest plants of 

 tropical countries, we shall have occasion to 

 speak somewhat at length presently, and, there- 

 fore, may the better omit notice of them just 

 now. 



Heath plants are those which grow on the ex- 

 tensive commons called heaths. These, though 

 well known and very extensive in some districts 

 of our own land, are far surpassed in extent by 

 those of Prussia, Poland, and Bussia ; as, for 

 example, the vast heaths of Luneberg, which are 

 said to cover a space of six thousand square miles. 

 These immense tracts of land are covered with 

 the common heath, (Calluna vulgaris,) which 

 is often spread over very extensive surfaces, 

 allowing no other plant to grow ; though occa- 

 sionally considerable quantities of furze, ( Ulex^) 

 broom, (Cytisus scoparius^) and brake, (Pteris 

 aquilina^) are found amongst it. We have 

 already alluded to the vast numbers of heaths 



