FLORA OF THE ISLAND OF SHIKOTAN. 439 
here I returned to Anama, traversing the great swamp of Poropet. 1 visited 
Tokkari-Masuba by boat again and collected more specimens. In con- 
sequence of various hindrances, I was unable to explore the greater part of 
the southern side of the island, so that the vegetation of those parts between 
Matsugahama and Chipoi is practically unknown except from a few 
specimens collected by Mr. Yokoyama, which I have had an opportunity 
of examining. However, I do not expect that that district contains any 
considerable number of plants peculiar to it. 
As the result of a fortnight’s exploration, I gathered a little over 300 
species of Phanerogams and Pteridophyta on Shikotan. Afterwards, through 
the kindness of Mr. and Mrs. Arai, who indefatigably collected plants for 
me at different seasons in the vicinity of Anama, I received about 300 
specimens, some of which were not only very valuable, but also formed an 
addition to my own collection. 
BRIEF SKETCH OF THE VEGETATION. 
Before we pass on to the consideration of the floristic character of the 
island, I may perhaps give here a brief account of the vegetation. The 
Kurile Islands are a very interesting subject for physiographical ecology, 
because their vegetation is quite primeval and no artificial alterations have 
ever been made. In particular, Shikotan has scarcely been touched by 
human hands at all. No attempt at reclamation has been attempted. Only 
a very small area is cultivated, without much success, with peas, potatoes or 
something of the sort, which is quite negligible. Comparatively few trees 
have been felled for building purposes or for fuel; what has been done in 
this direction has left the virgin forest practically intact. A few herbaceous 
plants have been introduced by human agency around the fishing-stations, 
yet these have not affected the aspect of the original vegetation. 
As has already been mentioned, sandy beaches are not common, and they 
are only feebly developed in bays and estuaries. The dominant plants in 
sand quite close to the sea aro :—Elymus mollis, Mertensia maritima subsp. 
asiatica, Linaria japonica, Lactuca repens, Carex pumila, C. macrocephala, 
Ammodenia peploides var. oblongifolia, Lathyrus maritimus, Salsola Soda, and 
Phellopteris littoralis. Just inside the zone of these plants and often 
amongst stones and rocks one generally sees :— Artemisia. Stellertana, 
Thermopsis fabacea, Potentilla Anserina, Senecio Pseudo-arntca, Galum 
verum, Geranium yezoense, Matricaria ambigua, Plantago camtschatica, and 
occasionally Swertia tetrapetala, Rosa rugosa, with its magnificent flowers 
of bright crimson, forms bushes in this formation. On the bottom of shallow 
estuaries Zostera pacifica and Phyllospadi# Scouleri grow in abundance, 
while on their muddy or sandy banks we come across Triglochin maritimum, 
sometimes Atropis kurilensis, and the familiar boreal plant Glauz maritima, 
