886 X. GENERAI. EEMARKg. 



American plant having been originally named Ophrps 

 cernua, that generic name has been inadvertently used 

 for the Hibernian plant on page 228.] 



The names of some other plants do also appear in 

 books on British botany, which have not been identified 

 exactly with sj^ecies of the European continent. As all 

 these are comparatively recent segregates, and most of 

 them still distrusted species, if not doubted natives, they 

 may none of them be really peculiar to Britain ; unless, 

 indeed, as local varieties of species found elsewhere in 

 their more typical states. But it is to be kept in recol- 

 lection, that in case any of these forms should eventually 

 be found strictly limited to the British Isles, then must 

 it be conceded that these Isles truly have their own pecu*- 

 liar plants, whether designated species, races, varieties, 

 or aught else. At present, therefore, and while these 

 forms remain unknown elsewhere, we are not warranted 

 in asserting that the flora of Britain has been derived 

 wholly and exclusively from Europe or other countries. 

 On the contrarj^, the evidence so far goes towards proving 

 a, local inchoation (natural creation or commencement) of 

 those sjiecies, races, or varieties. Under this aspect, 

 those dubiously distinct plants assume a high phyto' 

 geographical importance. Apparently, they constitute 

 small items of evidence, bearing upon some of the 

 grandest problems in phyto-geographical and phyto- 

 geological science. In example, they may bear impor- 

 tantly on the remarkable and profound views of Mr. 

 l)arwin, recently announced (some months after the 

 earlier sheets of this volume were printed) through the 

 Journal of the Linnean Society, volume 8, page 45, Au* 

 gust, 1858. 



The writer of these pages admits that he would prefer 

 to see genuine species in these local forms, still unknown 



