ILLUSTKATIONS OF PHYTO-GEOGKAPHY. 



The Plates of -which the following pages furnish explanations, have been prepared 

 ■with the view of showing some of the more remarkable aspects of the vegetation 

 which clothes the surface of the earth in different parts of our planet. From these 

 examples, which have been selected from a variety of sources, a tolerably adequate 

 notion may be formed of the nature of the luxuriant and diversified leafage to be 

 met with in tropical forests ; while some knowledge may also be obtained of the 

 quaint succulent vegetation which is scattered over the rocky arid wastes of the Sew j 

 World ; of the scarcely more abundant, and much less developed, clothing to be 

 found on arctic cliffs ; of the peculiar tree-growth of the Australian continent; and 

 of the characteristics of various other well-marked centres of plant life, the peculiar 

 features of which are pointed out in the descriptive notice of each Plate. 



EPIPHYTAL RHODODENDRONS OF 

 THE HIMALAYA. 



(Plate I.— Frontispiece.) 



[REFERENCE. — Rhododendron I/alhousice.'] 



The focus of the genus Rhododendron 

 seems to be East Nepal and the Sikkim 

 Himalaya mountains. It is there we find 

 the species most numerous and their 

 flowers of the greatest size and most 

 brilliant tints. The genus chiefly prevails 

 between 10,000 and 14,000 feet above the 

 sea-level, its several species composing 

 three-fourths of the vegetation above the 

 forest region (12,000 feet). There Rhodo- 

 dendron wood supplies the native with 

 fuel, and, from its tough nature and 

 property of being easily worked, with 

 many domestic utensils, poles for his tent, 

 stools, saddle, bowl and spoon. The bark 

 is used as that of the birch is in the Arctic 

 regions, and the leaves serve as plates and 

 wrappers for butter, curd, and cheese. It 

 is the traveller's constant companion 

 throughout every day's march ; on the 



I right hand and on the left hand of the 



j devious path, the old trees and bushes are 



I seen breast high or branching overhead, 



I whilst the seedlings cover every mossy 



I bank. At 13,000 feet the flanks of the 



snowy mountains glow with the blood-red 



blossoms of Rhododendron fulgens, whilst 



the beauty of R. campanulatum and the 



great elegance and delicacy of the white 



bells of R. campylocarpum excite the more 



admiration from their being found in such 



regions of fog and rain. Some kinds grow 



habitually as epiphytes, among them R. 



| Dalhousice figured in our frontispiece, and 



one of the many noble introductions for 



which we are indebted to the labours of 



the indefatigable Dr. J. D. Hooker. R. Dal- 



housim is a slender straggling shrub, six 



to eight feet high, with oblong leaves, and 



white bell-shaped fragrant flowers with a 



I delicate rosy tinge. It is generally grow- 



| ing, like many tropical orchids, amongst 



moss, with ferns and Aroidew, upon the 



I limbs of large trees, at from 6,000 to 9,000 



j feet above the sea, in a region of fogs, 



moisture, and rain, in sight of the snow- 



I capped peaks of the Himalaya. [B. S.] 



