76 THE WOELD OF LIFE 



will be now shown that when smaller and better known areas 

 are compared the superiority of the tropics is more clearly 

 apparent. 



The Floras of Small Areas and their Teachings 



The conclusions already reached by the examination of the 

 chief floras of the world, whether in areas of continental extent, 

 or in those more approaching to the average of our counties, 

 that, other things being equal or approximately so, the tropics 

 are far more prolific in species, will receive further confirma- 

 tion, and I think demonstration, from data I have collected 

 as to the botanical richness of much smaller areas, which having 

 been more thoroughly explored afford more reliable evidence. 

 They also afford very suggestive facts as to the best mode of 

 future exploration which may enable us to arrive at a fair 

 approximation as to the total world-population of flowering 

 plants. 



For the convenience of readers I give here two tables I 

 have prepared of the floras of small areas in tropical and tem- 

 perate zones, each arranged in the order of their area in square 

 miles for convenience of reference and comparison. 



I will now briefly discuss the various interesting questions 

 raised by a consideration of these tables. 



It is, I believe, still a very common opinion among botanists 

 that the wonderfully diversified flora of the Cape Region of 

 South Africa is the richest in the whole world in so limited 

 an area. This is partly owing to the fact that such a large 

 proportion are beautiful garden plants, which for sixty years, 

 from 1775 to 1835, j^oured in a continued stream into Europe 

 and seemed almost inexhaustible. The wonderful group of 

 heaths, of which there are about 350 species, all beautiful and 

 many among the most exquisite of flowers ; the almost equally 

 numerous pelargoniums, the brilliant ixias, gladioli and allies, 

 the gorgeous proteas, the w^onderful silver-tree, the splendid 

 lilies and curious orchises, the endless variety of leguminous 

 shrubs, and the composites including the everlasting flowers. 



