Fossil Plants found in Amber. 367 



The flora of the Amber being destitute of tropical and sub-tropical 

 forms, it is to be referred to the Pliocene period. 



The remains only of forest-plants have been preserved in the 

 Amber. 



This flora much resembles the present, especially in the Cellular 

 plants ; the Cupressinece, however, are now almost wholly wanting in 

 our latitudes, and the Abietinece and the Ericinece are not abundant. 

 The four species, of Thuia, Andromeda, and Sedum, which are iden- 

 tical with the living, are indeed northern forms ; on the other hand, 

 the Libocedrus Chilensis is found on the Andes of Southern Chili. 



The flora of the northern parts of Europe, Asia, and America, is 

 at present less rich in species of Cupressinece and Abietinece than 

 that of the Amber, although it possesses some of the species found 

 in the latter ; nor are the existing northern species of Coniferce so 

 rich in resinous products as were the trees of the Amber-flora with 

 which the Dammara Australis of New Zealand can alone in this re- 

 spect be compared, the branches and twigs of this tree being stiff 

 with white resin-drops. 



If we take into consideration the enormous extent which the forests 

 of 



Abies alba, Abies ovata, 



nigra, Larix Dahurica, 



balsamea, — Sibirica, and 



Sibirica, Pinus Cembra, 



at present attain in North America and Northern Asia, we are led 

 to infer a similar extension in former times of the Amber-forests 

 throughout the northern regions ; to which, indeed, the wide distri- 

 bution of amber in the late tertiary deposits of North America, 

 Holland, North Germany, Russia, and Siberia to Kamtschatka, bears 

 evidence. 



If we judge from the proportion which the fir-forests bear to the 

 rest of our northern flora generally, we shall infer, from the preva- 

 lence of the Coniferce, in the Amber, the existence of a very rich 

 flora contemporaneous with the latter, and of which but a small part 

 has as yet been presented to our notice. Germany contains 6800 

 species of Cryptogamce, according to Rabenhorst, and 3454 species of 

 Phanerogamce, according to Koch. The proportions are — 



The German Flora. The Amber Flop . 



Species. Classes. Spec! 



Cryptogams 8 6800 6 60 



Families. Species. Families. Species. 



Phanerogamse 135 3454 20 102 



Cupuliferse ... 12 10 



Ericineae ... 23 24 



Proportion of trees and plants .. j g ^ 1 =1:10 • • • { 9 q j = 10 = 1 



2b2 



