34 TYPICAL FLOWERS OF ALPINE PASTURES 



(natural order Campanulacese) by the Campanulas or 

 Bell-flowers, and the Eampions, are the most typical 

 of all Alpine orders. We shall in this and the 

 following chapters pay special attention to these 

 plants, and thus gain a general idea of the chief and 

 most characteristic members of the Alpine pastures. 



The Anemones. 



The Anemones or Wind-flowers (natural order 

 Eanunculaceae, the Buttercup family) are very 

 abundant in spring in the Alps, though the number 

 of species is not very large. The Spring Anemone 

 {Anemone vernalis, Linn.) is one of the earliest plants 

 to flower in the pastures, when the snow begins to 

 melt. Our two British Anemones, the Wood 

 Anemone {Anemone nemorosa, Linn.), so common in 

 plantations in early spring, and the Pasque-flower 

 {Anemone Pulsatilla, Linn.), a much rarer plant, grow- 

 ing chiefly on chalk-downs and other limestone soils, 

 both occur in Lowland Switzerland, but not in the 

 Alpine zone. 



The Alpine Anemones fall into two natural 

 groups, of which we may take the Spring Anemone, 

 the Alpine Anemone, and the Narcissus-flowered 

 Anemone as typical members. 



The Spring Anemone. 



We will begin with the Spring Anemone {A. 

 vernalis, Linn.) (Plate IV.). By the time the annual 



