Paleophytology. : 431 
drons, Azaleas, and other beautiful bright-coloured Ericacez. 
Species of honeysuckle formed bushes or climbed up the 
trees, on which grew parasitic plants allied to our mistletoe. 
In Italy are found the remains of species of Salzsburia and 
Liriwdendron, the allies of which now grow only in Japan and 
South America. Many species of these recent formations 
probably exist to the present day. Up tothe year 1853, 
Goeppert had described the remains of 162 plants belonging ~ 
to 64 genera preserved in amber ; 30 of these he recog- 
nised with certainty as belonging to the present time, 
while others do not admit of a perfect identitication. 
The Post-pliocene, Pleistocene, or Alluvial formation in- 
cludes deposits believed to be formed immediately before 
the historic period. It is to these strata that the remains of 
the mammoth, mastodon, and other gigantic animals belong ; 
but the number of species of plants found is only small, 
and these have only been partially determined with certainty. 
How unequal has been the preservation of the remains of 
this period is shown by the circumstance that our only source 
of knowledge of the existence at that time of our pines and 
arbor-vitee is the fact that the remains of food found in the 
hollow teeth and stomachs of mastodons which had become 
enveloped in ice belong to these plants. 
From. these Alluvial formations we pass to the presen: 
age, with its forests, meadows, steppes, deserts, seas, lakes, 
and marshes, each of which has its peculiar flora and its 
special physiognomy. Among the endless variety of species 
of plants by which this latter is determined there are a 
certain number of leading forms which arrest the atten- 
tion of the observer. Among these are Hymenomycetous 
Fungi, Lichens and Algze, Mosses and Lycopodiacee, Ferns 
and Equisetaceze, Coniferze, Cycadez and Palms, Grasses, 
bulbous plants, Agavez and Aloinez, Scitamineze and 
Musacez, Aroidez, Orchidee, lianes,! Casuarinacee, willows, 
! Climbing or twining plants, mostly tropical, and often with ten- 
' drils, Passifloracee, Bignoniaceze, Aristolochiaceze, reeds, palms, &c., 
