52 Mr. Winch on the Distribution of indigenous Plants. 



the West, it passes into Cumberland, and to the South, into Yorkshire, 

 forming in these and the adjoining counties the EngUsh Apennines. 

 As the beds of Encrinal Limestone only appear occasionally at the sur- 

 face, being interstratified with rocks of Sandstone and Slate-clay, or 

 Shale, the plants peculiar to calcareous soils are very partially distri- 

 buted over its extent, but some of its mountains reaching to nearly 

 three thousand feet in height, and beds of Limestone being uppermost, 

 at many of these points, the richest Flora in England there presents 

 itself. To confirm the assertion it is only necessary to enumerate 

 Kobresia caricina, Dryas octopetala, Thlaspi alpestre, Draba incana, 

 Salix Croweana, Salix arenaria, Thalictrum alpinum, Cistus marifoUus, 

 Vaccinium uliginosum. Arbutus Uva-ursi, Tofieldia palustris, Malaxis 

 paludosa, Saxifraga Hirculus, Potentilla fruticosa, Bartsia alpina, Ca- 

 rexca pillaris, Epilobium alsinifolium* Epilobium alpinum, Gentianaverna, 

 and Juncus triglumis, as natives of the more alpine range of hills, while 

 Linncea borealis, Trientalis europcea, Equisetum variegatum, Ornithoga- 

 lum luteum, and Carex pauciflora, occupy stations on the less elevated 

 portion of this highly favoured botanic district. Nor should the Ba- 

 saltic rocks, which partially bound the Northern coast, and pervade the 

 whole tract of country under consideration, be overlooked, for on them 

 flourish Diantlius deltoides, Sedum a7iglicum, Potentilla alpestris, Poten- 

 tilla verna, Aspidium Lonchitis, Woodsia ilvense, and Allium Schcenopra- 

 sum, a plant considered by many botanists a very doubtful native, but 

 here certainly wild.t 



In the Coal formation, Pontop-pike is the highest hill, being 1018 

 feet. From this point the ground declines gradually towards the coast, 

 and near South Shields, begins to give place, or rather be covered by 

 the Magnesian Limestone. The South-western extremity of the field 

 is not very distant from Auckland, and its coast line from the Coquet to 

 the Tyne may be reckoned at 24 miles. And here it may be worthy 



* This elegant willow herb was lately added to the English Flora by W. C. Trevelyan 

 Esq. of Wallington, who gathered it near the Cauldron Snout, in Teesdale. 



-|- Convallaria Polygonatum is mentioned in the English Flora of Dr. Smith, v. ii. p. 155, 

 to have been found on the Basaltic Crags at Kyloe, near Belford, by Mr. A. Bkuce, 



