HWORY OF THfT 



CHAP. V. 



HI&TORY OF THE DISTRIBUTION, OF PLANTS^ 



Linne, de Telluris habitabilis incremento : in Amoen. Acad. vol. ii. 

 Zinn, Vom Ursprung der Pflanzen : im Hamburgishen Magazine. 

 Bergman, Jordklot. Phys. beskrifn. ii. 

 Zimmerman, Geographische Geschichte des Menschen, 

 Schouw, Diss, de Sedibus Plantarura originariis. 



4 0 2 cr' f^M"""^"' 



We come no^ to answer the questions, in what manner 

 plants have originated, and how they have distributed them- 

 selves. Are we to admit, that plants have been distributed 

 from one point on the surface of the earth, to all its parts ? 

 or must we believe that they belong properly to every coun- 

 try in which they grow ? The founder of Scientific Bo- 

 tany has defended the former of these opinions at a great ex- 

 pence of ingenuity, acuteness, and learning ; but we appre- 

 hend that we must adopt the la,tter conclusion, with some li^ 

 mitations. 



403. 



When we examine the remains of the primeval world', we 

 find the first traces of vegetable impressions in the slate for- 

 mation. These remains of the former vegetable world be- 

 long almost entirely to the lower families : they consist, for the 

 most party- o£ Grasses, Reeds, Palms, and Ferns, — the latter^ 

 however, being almost always destitute of fruit. But although 

 these forms cannot be referred to any one of the species which 

 are at present known, they have yet so much the appearance 

 of tropical productions, that we are forced to admit a very 

 Mgh degree of heat at the surface of the earth during its 



