50 INTRODUCTORY EXPLANATIONS. 



occur in any province southward of the Highlands, we 

 may cite Azalea procumbens, Cherleria sedoides, Veronica 

 alpina, Alopecurus alpinus, Phleum alpinum, Juncus trifi- 

 dus, Sibbaldia procumbens, Erigeron alpinus, and Gentia- 

 na nivalis. And as examples of other species which oc- 

 cur likewise on the more southern mountains, and mostly 

 descend lower on those of the Highland provinces, we 

 may enumerate Salix herbacea, Silene acaulis, Saxifraga 

 stellaris, Oxyria reniformis, Thalictrum alpinum, Luzula 

 spicata, Juncus triglumis, Rubus Chamaemorus, Epilobium 

 alsinifolium, Draba incana, Dryas octopetala, and Alche- 

 milla alpina. 



5. The Germanic Type. — The distribution of several 

 species which might otherwise be associated with those of 

 the English type, is peculiarly characterized by a ten- 

 dency to the eastern side of the island. Some few of 

 these are absolutely restricted to the south-eastern pro- 

 vinces of England, — Channel, Thames, Ouse, one or 

 more ; while others of them extend farther northward or 

 westward, yet decidedly diminishing in abundance in 

 either direction. As the cretaceous deposits lie almost 

 solely in the eastern and south-eastern provinces of England, 

 the " chalk plants " are included with the others referred 

 to the present type ; although, it is to be recollected, that 

 the type is primarily founded upon botanico-geographical 

 peculiarities, and not upon any geological characters. Some 

 of the eastern species extend even into Scotland ; but, for 

 the most part, they are the species of England only. The 

 name of ' Germanic ' type is not applied with reference to 

 any supposed origin from Germany, but simply as indicat- 

 ing the tendency of the species to a distribution connected 

 with those provinces of England which are bounded by 

 the German or North Sea eastward, including the Straits 

 of Dover and upper part of the English Channel ; for the 



