ANNOTATIONS AND ADDITIONS. 205 



POSTSCRIPT 



ON THE 



PHYSIOGNOMIC CLASSIFICATION OE PLANTS. 



IN the preceding sketch of a ee Physiognomy of Plants/" I 

 have had principally in view three nearly allied subjects : the 

 absolute diversity of forms ; their numerical proportion, i. e. 

 their local predominance in the total number of species in 

 phsenogamous floras ; and their geographic and climatic dis- 

 tribution. If we desire to rise to general views respecting 

 organic forms,, the physiognomy of plants, the study of their 

 numerical proportions (or the arithmetic of botany), and 

 their geography (or the study of their zones of distribution), 

 cannot, as it appears to me, be separated from each 

 other.' In the study of the physiognomy of plants, we ought 

 not to dwell exclusively on the striking contrasts presented 

 by the larger organic forms separately considered, but we 

 should also seek to discern the laws which determine the 

 physiognomy of Nature generally, or the picturesque cha- 

 racter of vegetation over the entire surface of the globe, and 

 the impression produced on the mind of the beholder by the 

 grouping of contrasted forms in different zones of latitude 

 and of elevation. It is from this point of view, and with 

 this concentration or combination of objects, that we become 



