ON THE FLORA OF THE FALKLAND ISLANDS. 313 
FLORA OF THE FALKLAND ISLANDS. 
By C. Н. Wriaut, A.L.S. 
[ Read 19th January, 191 1.) 
DuriNG the determination of a collection of plants made in the Falkland 
Islands by Mrs. Eleanor Vallentin, it occurred to me that it might be 
interesting to attempt an enumeration of the plants of those islands with a 
view to show the changes which have taken place in the flora since the 
publication of the ‘Flora Antarctica? by Sir J. D. Hooker in 1847, and 
also to define more exactly the distribution of the plants in the islands. 
Many of Mrs. Vallentin’s Specimens were accompanied by notes which are 
inserted under the respective species in the following list, and many were 
accompanied by coloured drawings. A collection made by Miss Firmin in 
1595 is also included, 
The chief characteristic of the flora is that it consists principally of plants 
of dwarf habit; trees are quite absent. The tallest species is Veronica 
elliptica, Forst. f., which is a shrub attaining a height of 7 feet, and next to 
this Chiliotrichum amelloideum, Cass., which reaches 5 feet, and is known as 
the “ Fâchima.” The main flowering season is from November to January, 
but the earliest flower to appear is Draba funiculosa, Hook. E, which opens 
in September. 
Poa flabellata, Hook. f., the Tussac Grass, whieh was formerly very 
abundant, is rapidly being exterminated through the ravages of cattle. 
Hierochloe magellanica, Hook. f., formerly abundant, is now rare. Primula 
magellanica, Linn., used to grow to a height of 11 to 2 feet, when 
Mrs. Vallentin's father, Mr. W. Wickham Bertrand, settled in the islands 
about 40 years ago, but since the introduction of sheep it has dwindled not 
only in height but also in the size of its flowers, but is still to be found with 
its former dimensions on those islets where thero are no sheep. 
À few species, of which I have not seen F alkland Island specimens, but 
which are recorded by Mr. Macloskie in his “Flora Patagonica” in the 
Report of the Princeton University Expedition to Patagonia, vol. viii. 
(1903-6), are included here. 
А revision of the flora was published by M. L. Crié in vol. Ixxxvii. 
(1878) pp. 530-533 of the ‹ Comptes Rendus’ of the French Academy, and 
an interesting account of the vegetation around Poit Stanley has been 
published by Herr Selim Birger in Engler's * Botanische Jahrbücher, xxxix. 
(1906) pp. 275-305. 
LINN. JOURN.—BOTANY, VOL. XXXIX. ЗА 
