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a be Mm » o ' : : ag tinge “y t 
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Botanical Geography. 435. 
and Italian Alps occur at a much lower elevation on the 
mountains of Norway and in Lapland ; and plants found 
‘above the snow-line on Mont Blanc belong also to the Arctic 
flora. The floras of mountain and of Arctic regions never- 
theless exhibit some considerable differences. 
At the base of the mountains of the equatorial zone, from 
the sea-coast to the height of about 630 metres, the external 
conditions, and therefore also the character of the vegeta- 
tion, are similar to those of the plains. This is the zone of 
palms and bananas. It is followed, as far as a height of 
1,300 metres, by the zone of tree-ferns and figs. In India 
these lofty trees are covered by multitudes of Piperacez, | 
 Aroidez, and Orchidez. In the islands of the southern ocean 
the figs are replaced by arborescent Urticaceze; and the 
‘valuable Cinchonez are characteristic of the South American 
region. In the zone of myrtles and laurels, which suc- 
ceeds as far as a height of 1,900 metres, trees with thick 
shining leaves are predominant, Myrtacez, Camelliacee, 
Magnoliacez, and others; but the Acacias and Ericacez 
also attain here their maximum development, and evergreen 
oaks are very abundant. ‘The laurels occur especially 
towards the upper limit of this zone, and are found also 
abundantly in the next, that of evergreen trees, which ex- 
tends from about 1,900 to 2,500 metres. Next comes the 
zone of trees with deciduous foliage, which extends to a 
height of about 3,200 metres, and under the tropics is seen 
only on the elevated plains; and a luxurious arborescent 
exogenous vegetation scarcely reaches beyond 2,800 metres. 
At this point a variety of Coniferee make their appearance, 
such as with us are intermingled with the exogenous trees. 
From 3,200 to 3,800 metres 1s the zone of Conifer, and from 
that to 4,500 metres that of Rhododendrons. Lofty trees now 
_ disappear, and are replaced by luxuriant meadows and pas- 
_ tures, among the brilliant herbaceous vegetation of which 
_ Rhododendrons and Azaleas are conspicuous, not only by 
their shining coriaceous leaves, but also by their magnificent 
FF2 
