CHALET PLANTS 119 



At the same time, the nature of the soil has 

 naturally a very profound influence on vegetation 

 locally. A good example is seen in the case of 

 "chalet plants," so called because they flourish in 

 abundance close to the picturesque wooden cow- 

 chalets of the pastures, and are but rarely found 

 elsewhere. This is probably due to the fact that 

 round the chalets the soil is relatively rich in humus 

 in comparison with many other localities, the humus 

 being derived from the manure which accumulates 

 close to the chalets, and which is to some extent 

 spread around them when exposed to rain. 



Many of these chalet plants are common weeds. 

 Our well-known Dandelion {Taraxacum officinale^ 

 Weber, natural order Compositse, the Daisy family), 

 with its beautiful little parachute fruits, adapted 

 for travelling long distances in the air, is very 

 common in this position, though also widely distributed 

 in other localities. Our two British Stinging Nettles, 

 Urtica urens, Linn., the Small Nettle, and Urtica 

 dioioa, Linn., the Common Nettle, are also often 

 abundant near chalets, though rare or absent else- 

 where. The latter species flourishes exceedingly at 

 6,000 feet or more in the Alps, producing very tall, 

 vigorous plants, 3 feet or more in height. 



The Alpine Gagea {Gagea Liotardi, Schult., 

 natural order Liliacese, the Lily family), allied to 

 the Star-of-Bethlehem and owe British Yellow Gagea, 



1 So called because parts of the plant were formerly used as 

 medicine ; cf. Officinal. 



