THE GEOLOGY OF SWITZERLAND. 
45 
gigantic Wellingtonia. Another species resembles the 
Marsh Cypress of the southern United States. There 
are also Australian types such as Habeas and Gre- 
villeas, while Palms, Liquidambars, Cinnamon, Figs, 
Camphor trees, and many other southern forms also 
occur. Of Oaks Prof. Heer has described no less 
than 35 species. 
Moreover many of the Miocene plants have been 
found in the far North, implying a comparatively 
uniform and mild climate. Thus Sequoia Sternbergii 
is abundant in the lignites of Iceland, and Sequoia 
Nordenskioldi has been found in Greenland. As a 
whole the Flora resembles that of the present day, 
but represented by types now scattered over the whole 
world, and has most affinity with that of North 
America, as it contains over 200 North American 
against 140 European types. They have as a rule 
small and wind-fertilised flowers. Those which are 
more conspicuous, and which add so much beauty 
to our modern flora, were less numerous in Miocene 
times; and many families are altogether absent, such 
as Rosacea:, Crucifers, Caryophyllaceae, Labiatae, 
Primulaceae, etc. Bees and Butterflies, though al- 
ready existing, had not yet so profoundly modified 
and developed the flowers. The Miocene species 
were all killed off or driven south by the Glacial 
