The individualistic concept of the plant association

The units of vegetation, which form the subject of our discussions this week, were just as easily visible to primitive man as they are to us today. They were equally visible to the sages of Greece and Rome two thousand years ago, to our European ancestors a thousand years ago. Through all these long years they were neglected by scientists, whose thoughts were turned in different directions, but they were recognized by -the laity. As a result the languages of Europe all contain a number of terms which refer, usually rather loosely, to vegetation.