48 INTRODUCTORY EXPLANATIONS. 



viuces of England. Along with this group, also, maybe 

 associated certain species which run out to diminished 

 frequency, or early absolute cessation, northward as well 

 as southward • occurring chiefly or only in the northern 

 provinces of England and southern provinces of Scotland. 

 Equally with the rest, these are truly plants of a boreal 

 distribution and prevalence, when we consider them with 

 reference to the southern provinces of England ; although 

 it may also be said that they are so far species of a south- 

 era distribution likewise, when considered with reference 

 to the northern provinces of Scotland. From other spe- 

 cies of the Scottish type, however, they diflFer chiefly by 

 their more restricted areas ; for their tendency to the hilly 

 districts of England and the Lowlands, like those which 

 extend still farther northward in Scotland, indicates a ge- 

 neral similarity of climatal adaptation, while it strongly 

 distinguishes them from species of the truly English type. 

 It will thus be understood that several of the species as- 

 signed to the Scottish type of distribution are not preva- 

 lent only in Scotland ; some of them, indeed, being more 

 prevalent in the northern provinces of England. But 

 since the majority are prevalent in Scotland, the name of 

 the type is taken from that northern portion of the king- 

 dom, as a sufficient contrast to the name adopted for the 

 more southern or English type. Perhaps not more than a 

 twentieth of the whole number of British plants will come 

 under the Scottish type. Primula scotica and Ajuga py- 

 ramidalis are instances of an extremely restricted and bo- 

 real area. Goodyera repens and Corallorhiza innata are 

 also very partial, though less thoroughly boreal with us. 

 Primula farinosa and Saxifraga Hirculus may be instanced 

 as examples of that division of the Scottish group which 

 is characterized by a comparatively early limit northward. 

 But more characteristic examples of the Scottish type 



