m e a n s o f a n sw e r in g . I f th e id e n t if ic a tio n s o f B a n k s ia an d o th e r P r o te a c e o n s le a v e s in th e C r e ta c eou s
an d M io c e n e fo rm a tio n s o f E u r o p e a r e w o r th y o f a n y con fid en c e , i t is p o s s ib le th a t th e A u s tr a lia n
fr om th e n o r th e rn to th e so u th e rn h em isp h e r e , as, a c c o rd in g to D a rw in ’s ty p e s m a y h a v e m ig ra ted
sp e cu la tio n s , th e e x is t in g E u r o p e a n p la n t s in A u s t r a lia ha v e.
S om e a rg um en ts iu fa v ou r o f th e a n tiq u ity o f th e A u s tr a lia n F lo r a as com p a red w ith th e E u r o p
ean m a y b e d er iv ed from a co n sid e r a tio n o f it s g e n e r ic a n d o rd in a l p e cu lia r itie s. I f , a s I ha v e
id it , a G e im s o r Ord e r is r en d e r ed p e cu lia r , th a t is , im lik e it s a llie s, h y th e e x t in c tio n o f th e
in te rm ed ia te sp e c ie s, i t fo llow s th a t th e g r ea te r th e p e cu lia r ity th e g r ea te r th e n um b e r o f lap sed forms.
A p p ly in g th is a r g um e n t t o th e A u str a lia n F lo r a , w o m u s t a ssum e an ex tra o rd in a ry d e s tr u c tio n o f
sp e c ie s th a t o n c e lin k e d i t w ith th e g e n e r a l F lo r a o f th e g lo b e , to a c c o u u t for i t s m a n y pe c id ia r g en e ra ,
and th e s e b e in g r ep r e sen ted b y so m a n y sp e c ie s. B u t a s th is d e s tr u c tio n o f sp e c ie s i s p r im a r ily d u e
to g e o lo g ic a l cau se s, th a t in flu en c e c lim a te s and so d ir e c tly an d in d ir e c tly le a d to th e e x tin c t io n o f
sp e c ie s, an d a s g e o lo g ic a l e v e n t s a r e o f s low p ro g r e ss, i t foUows th a t w o m u s t r eg a rd th e A u str a lia n
F lo r a as a v e r y a n c ie n t o n e . A g a in , D a rw in a rg u e s th a t a r ich F lo r a or F a u n a , m a rk ed b y a p r ep on d
e r a n c e o f h ig h ly d ev e lop ed ty p e s , m u s t h a v e r eq u ired a la r g e area fo r it s d e v e lo pm en t ; th is is
b e ca u se , a c c o rd in g t o h is v iew , th e p r in c ip le o f n a tu r a l s e le c t io n fa v ou r s th e h ig h fo rm s, au d is
u n fa v ou rab le t o th e low . N o w i t co u ld b e e a s ily sh ow n th a t th e A u s tr a lia n F lo r a i s o f a s h ig h
a ty p e a s a n y in th e g lo b e , b u t u n d e r e x is tin g c o n d it io n s h a s a v e ry sm a ll area fo r it s d ev e lo pm en t,
an d p r e s en ts few e r r ep r e s en ta tiv e s o f o th e r F lo r a s t o c o n ten d w ith th a n m o s t ; an d w e m u s t h en c e ,
u n d e r th e s e h y p o th e s e s , a ssum e n o t o n ly th e a n t iq u ity o f th e F lo r a , b u t th a t i t w as d ev e lop ed in i
m u ch la r g e r area th a n i t n ow o c cu p ie s.
T h e o n ly o th e r g e o lo g ic a l sp e cu la tio n , fo u n d ed u p o n a n y th in g lik e p la u sib le g r o u n d s, th a t bears
u p o n th e o r ig in o f a n y o f th e p la n t s n ow in h a b it in g A u s tr a lia , i s th a t o f M r . D a rw in in r efe r en c e to
th e E u ro p ea n sp e c ie s, to w h ich I h a v e a llu d ed a t p. x v ii. I t im p lie s o f co u r se th a t th e e x is t in g E u r o p
e a n ty p e s w e r e in tr o d u c ed in to th e c o n t in e n t lo n g su b seq u en tly to th e p e cu lia r A n s tr a lia n , and are
p la n ts o f a la te r c r e a tio n . I h a v e a lr ead y p o in ted o u t th e d ifflcu ltie s a t te n d in g i t s a d o p tio n , th e
c h ie f o f w h ich is th e a dm issio n o f su c h a c o ld c iim a t e in th e in te r tr o p ic a l la titu d e s a s th a t n o t m e r e ly
a tem p e r a te , b n t a d e c id ed ly n o r th e rn F lo r a sh otild h a v e m ig r a ted a c ro ss t h e m ; an d th a t th is m ig
ra tio n , i f c o n c ed ed , m u s t h a v e b e e n e x t e n s iv e an d h a v e in tr o d u c ed v e r y m a n y g en e r a and sp e c ie s in to
th e t ro p ic s appear s lik e ly , w h en w e c o n sid e r th e f r a gm en ta r y ch a ra c te r o f th e a ssem b la g e o f n o r th e rn
fo rm s s t ill le ft m A u s t r a lia ,— fo r e v e n w h en red u c ed to it s m o s t ty p ic a l ex am p le s, i t c o n s is ts o f n early
a s m a n y N a tu r a l O rd er s a s sp e c ie s. T h e lit t le c o lo n y o f so u th A u str a lia n g en e r a fou n d u n d e r th e
E q u a to r , o n K in i B a lo u , in B o rn eo , p r e s en ts a n o th e r d ifflcu lty , e x c e p t in d e ed i t b e r eg a rd ed a s e v id
e n c e o f th a t pr ev iou s so u th e rn m ig r a tio n o f A u str a lia n fo rm s from E u r o p e to A u str a lia , w h ich I
h a v e ju s t m e n tio c e d a s con c e iv ab le .
T h e r e are th e n th e A n ta r c tic ty p e s t o a c c o u n t fo r ; w e r e th e y o f m o ro r e c e n t in tr o d u c tio n th a n
th e E u r o p e a n o r A u s tr a lia n ? D a rw in h a s a llu d ed to th e p o s s ib ility o f th e s e h a v in g b e en t r a n s p
o r ted b y ic eb e r g s from h ig h e r so u th e rn la titu d e s , d u r in g a p e r iod o f g r ea te r c o ld th a n n ow o b ta in s
m th e so u th e rn h em isp h e r e , (as th e S ca n d in a v ia n and A r c tic p la n ts are su p p o sed b y F o rb e s to h a v e b e en
tran sp o r ted t o B r ita in , e t c ., d u r in g th e G la c ia l p e r io d ), aud, w ith th e n o r th E u r o p e a n p la n ts already in
A u s tr a lia , t o h a v e asc en d ed th e m o n n tam s d u r in g th e su b s eq u en t r is e o f tem p e ra tu r e . T h is w ould
im p ly th a t A u s tr a lia w a s, d u r in g a o o ld T e r tia r y pe r iod , s im u lta n e o u s ly peop led b y a ll th o s e A n ta r c tic ,
E u ro p ea n , an d A n s tr a lia n ty p e s w h ich n ow in h a b it i t, b u t th a t th e la t te r F lo r a was m u c h le s s d ev e lop ed
in n um b e r o f sp e c ie s an d g en e r a th a n n ow ; for I c a n n o t b u t r eg a rd th e A n ta r c t ic F lo r a in th e sam e
lig h t a s th e E u r o p e a n , an d as a m e r e fr a gm en t o f a m u c b m o r e e x t e n s iv e o n e , w h o s e o th e r m em b e r s
p e r ish ed in th e b a ttle for p la c e w a g ed w ith th e E u rop ean an d A u s tr a lia n d u r in g th o s e c h a n g e s o f
c lim a te an d le v e l th a t su c c e ed ed th e ir fir st in tr o d u c tio n . T h e u lt im a t e n um e r ic a l a sc en d en c y o f th e
A u str a lia n b o ta n ic a l e lem e n t m a y h a v e b e en g a in ed d u r in g th e su b seq u en t p a r t itio n o f th e c o n tin e n t
in to a r ch ip e la g o s o f isla n d s, w h ich b e c am e so m a n y co lo n ie s o f A u s tr a lia n ty p e s o f v e g e ta tio n , p r e pared
o n th e fin a l r ise o f th e la n d to d e sc en d and o c cu p y th e in te rm ed ia te g rou n d . T h e p a u c ity
o f a lp in e p la n ts o f A u s tr a lia n g en e r a i s a fa c t w h ich le n d s it s e l f w e ll to th is id e a ; it im p lie s th a t ,
d u r in g e ith e r th e r is e o f la n d or in c r e a se o f tem p e r a tu r e , th e t e n d e n c y o f th e sp e c ie s o f A u str a lia n
ty p e w a s t o s e ek wai-mer r e g io n s , an d th a t th e b oreal a n d a n ta r c tic ty p e s b e in g b e tte r su ite d to
a co ld e r c lim a t e p r ev en ted to a g r e a t e x te n t th e e s ta b lishm en t o f su c h v a r ie tie s o f A u s tr a lia n ty p e
as m ig h t o th e rw ise h a v e b e en ad ap ted t o in h a b it th e sam e c lim a te a s th em s e lv e s .
W h e n I ta k e a c om p r eh en siv e v iew o f t h e v e g e ta t io n o f th e O ld W o r ld , I am stru ck w ith th e ap-
p ea ran ce i t p r e sen ts o f th e r e b e in g a c o n tin u o u s cu r r en t o f v e g e ta t io n ( if I m a y so fa n c ifu lly exp r e ss
m y s e lf) from S c a n d in a v ia to T a sm a n ia ; a lo n g , in sh o r t, th e w h o le e x t e n t o f th a t arc o f th e te r r e str ia l
sp h e r e w h ich p r e s en ts th e g r e a te s t c o n t in u ity o f lan d . I n th e first p la c e , S ca n d in a v ia n g en e r a , and
ev en sp e c ie s, reappear ev e ryw h e r e from L a p la n d an d I c e la n d to th e to p s o f th e T a sm a n ia n a lp s, in
ra p id ly d im in ish in g n um b e r s it is tru e , b u t in v ig o r o u s d e v e lo pm en t th r o u g h o u t. T h e y ab ou n d on
th e A lp s a n d P y r e n e e s , pass o n t o th e C au ca su s an d H im a la y a , th e n c e th e y e x te n d a lo n g th e K h a sia
m o u n ta in s , and th o s e o f th e p en in su la s o f In d ia to th o s e o f C e y lo n a n d th e M a la y a n ar ch ip e la g o
(J a v a an d B o r n e o ) , an d after a h ia tu s o f 3 0 ° , th e y appear o n th e alps o f N ew S o u th W a le s ,
V ic to r ia , an d T a sm a n ia , an d b ey o n d t lie s e a g a in o n th o s e o f N ew Z ea lan d a n d th e A n ta r c t ic I s la n d s ,
m a n y o f th e sp e c ie s r em a in in g u n c h a n g e d th r o u g h o u t ! I t m a tte r s n o t w h a t th e v e g e ta t io n o f th e
b a se s a n d flan k s o f th e s e m o u n ta in s m a y b e ; th e n o r th e rn sp e c ie s m a y b e a sso c ia ted w ith a lp in e
fo rm s o f G e rm a n ic , S ib e r ia n , O r ien ta l, C h in e se , A m e r ic a n , IMalayan, a n d fin a lly A u str a lia n and
A n ta r c tic t y p e s ; b u t wh e r ea s th e s e are all, m o r e o r le s s , lo c a l a ssem b la g e s, tb e S ca u d in a v ia u asse rts
h is p r e ro g a tiv e o f u b iq u ity from B r ita in to b ey o n d it s a n tip od e s.
N e x t in im p o r ta n c e an d a p p ea ran ce a lo n g tb e arc in d ic a ted is th a t F lo r a w h ich m a y b e ca lled
H im a la y a n ,* an d w b ic h c o n s is ts o f th e en d em ic p la n ts o f th a t ra n g e , w ith a m ix tu r e o f S ib e r ia n ,
Cau ca sian , and C h in e se g e n e r a ; th is , g a th e r in g s tr en g th in it s progi-ess so u th -e a stw a rd a lo n g tlic
r a n g e s o f n o r th e rn au d e a ste rn In d ia , o c cu p ie s th e flan k s o f a ll th e m o u n ta in -ch a in s I h a v e en um e -
ra ted b e tw e en th e C au ca su s an d M a la y I s la n d s ; b u t th e r e th e H im a la y a n F lo r a disappear s, an d does
n o t r eappear in A u s tr a lia or N ew Zea lan d , an d sca r c e ly a tra c e o f it is fo u n d in P o ly n e s ia .
T h e M a la y a n F lo r a f is in m a n y r e sp e c ts c lo se ly a llied to th e H im a la y a n , b u t is w h o lly trop ica l
In ch a ra c ter . T h is a lso v e r y g ra d u a lly appears in th e v a lle y s o f th e w e ste rn an d c en tr a l H im a la y a ,
and m u lt ip ly in g iu g en e r a an d sp e c ie s in th e e a ste rn H im a la y a an d K h a sia r a n g e s, it sw e ep s down
th e M a la jian p en in su la , o c cu p ie s a ll th e M a la y a n I s la n d s , an d th e n it to o sto p s sh o r t w ith o u t e n te r in g
A u str a lia , b c iu g , h ow ev e r , co n tiu u ed eastward in tro p ica l P o ly n e sia .
L a s tly , th e r e is th e F lo r a o f th e p la in s a n d low e r h ills o f In d ia , J w liich is o f a d r ie r ch a ra c te r
th an th e M a la y a n , and is eq u a lly c lia ra c teid stic o f A fr ica . T h is c om m en c e s g ra d u a lly in n o r th -w e s t
In d ia , or ev en in e a ste rn P e r sia , au d o c cu p ie s a ll c en tra l In d ia , th e G a n g e t ic p la in , th e w h o le o f th e
* Characterized hy Cupulifera, MagnoUaceoe, Ternstroemiaceoe, Laurineæ, Bahaminece, Briceæ, Fumariaceæ, etc.
t Ficcineæ. Rhododendron, Begoniaceæ, Quercits : aud equally typified by Cyrtandraceæ, Dipterocarpeæ, Myris-
liceæ, Anonaceæ, Menispermeæ.
Î It consists of Acanthaceæ, Sterculiaceæ, and other Ordei's, enuiuerated at p. xlii. et seq.