260 NOTES ON THE BOTANY 
corolla, protecting its stamens from the influence of the fluid. 
Each germen contains a small bubble of air, generated, of 
course, within the ovary. Winter seems to be its season of | 
inflorescence ; for I found it in blossom after a long search, 
under a coating, 2 inches thick, of ice. So far as I have 
hitherto examined this plant, it seems to differ in character 
from any Natural Order; though, like Limosella, it may be 
nearly allied to Scrophularine, having also some of the pecu- 
liarities of Lentibularine and Primulacee. 
“ The seasons are evidently late on this island, and the 
winter comparatively mild. We have had frequent hail and 
snow-storms, but these seldom lasted more than a few hours 
on the low ground, the sun, wind, and rain soon removing 
the snow, with apparently slight injury to vegetation. There 
was but one strictly aquatic plant, and one entirely confined — 
to dry land, all the rest, so far as I could discover, preferring E 
a moist and peaty soil. . Of Jungermannie and Mosses there ore 
was a considerable number of species, all belonging to alpine — 
or arctic forms ; especially the genus Andrea, and another, : 5 
approaching Scouleria in characters. The Lichens appear “u 
form a much larger component part of the vegetation at | 
Kerguelen's Island than is the case, comparatively, in other 
parts of the world; especially when it is remembered that, — 
from the absence of trees, there can be no parasitic specie? - 
The rocks, from the water’s edge to the summit of the hills, : 
are apparently painted with them; their fronds, in general, ; 
adhering so closely to the stones, that it is only with diffi- 4 
 eulty they can be detached; in other cases, they seem to 
form part of the rock, which, from its excessive toughness | 
_ and hardness, almost defies any attempt to procure such spoar 
mens as shall be at all satisfactory. At the tops of the hills 
they assume the appearance of miniature forests on the black à 
rocks, and nothing can be prettier than the large spec» - 
with broad black apothecia, which covers all the stones a£ 399. 
elevation of from 1,000 to 1,500 feet. A smaller kind, like | 
a little oak-tree, grows in spreading tufts (also upon stones) 
and is of a delicate lilac colour. Near the sea, the plants 
