CHARACTERISTICS OF ALPINE PLANTS. 111 
The subject of the origin of the Alpine flora is not free 
from doubt. The general theory—that of Charles Darwin, 
Sir Joseph Hooker, and other scientists—may be concisely 
given as follows :—The flora of Europe and North America in 
the Miocene and Pliocene periods were practically similar. 
The Alpine regions had their own flora, and in the far north 
there was also what is called the ancient Arctic flora. This 
was, of course, previous to the Ice Age. 
With the advent of the Ice Age these floras had gradually 
to take up their quarters further and further southward. 
Therefore the ancient Arctic flora migrated into Canada and 
the United States and into Europe. In Europe the southward 
trend of the Miocene flora was checked by the Alps and other 
mountains. This flora, coming against the glaciated Alps, 
became almost extinct. A few plants, however, survived. 
As the glacial area extended, the ancient Alpines were driven 
into the Lowlands, where they became associated with the 
ancient Arctic flora. As the glaciation decreased again some 
of the ancient Arctic, as well as some of the ancient Alpine 
plants, ascended the mountains and originated the present 
Alpine flora. 
This theory, however, has found able opponents, and 
some of these urge that Central Asia was the original home 
of the Alpine plants, and it is known that a plant grown in the 
Arctic region presents many differences from one from the 
Alps. 
This statement is desirable as an introduction to the 
subject. 
One of the most marked characteristics of Alpine plants 
is that of their early flowering. The reason for this habit 
is an obvious one, which, however, the uninitiated are apt to 
overlook. It is, of course, due to the fact that the plants 
have to make provision for their reproduction by means of 
seeds within a very short period. Their revival from their 
winter’s rest, their flowering, the formation and ripening of 
their seeds, and the dispersal of these must be completed 
within a brief period of the short summer of these high alti- 
tudes. Some of the seeds, indeed, have to find a suitable 
