HO THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 



collection is that it establishes the fact that the vegetation of the three islands is 

 composed of the self-same species. It embraces, however, one new species, Cotula 

 moseleyi, Hems]., from Nightingale Island, besides a very fine series of Scirpi, which 

 constitute the bulk of the short herbage in some parts of the islands. Several of these 

 forms of Scirpus are very different in appearance, and Mr Boeckeler, to whom specimens 

 were sent shortly after their arrival in England, has described five of them as new species ; 

 but, after carefully studying numerous specimens, we can give that rank to only one. 

 All the principal forms are figured in this work, with the object of showing their close 

 similarity in structure and diversity in habit, which latter is probably due to differences 

 of soil and situation. 



Here follow some extracts from Mr Moseley's notes 1 on the vegetation of the three 

 islands : — 



" Tristan da Cunha. — The cliffs have a scanty covering of green, derived mainly from grasses, 

 sedges, mosses, and ferns, with darker patches of Phylica nitida 2 and Empetrum nigrum, var. rubrum, 

 which become more and more marked towards the summit. Conspicuous patches of bright green 

 are formed under the cliff at the foot of the watercourses by a dock (Rumex frutescens). Dotted 

 about amongst the other herbage are rounded tufts of pale bluish green, consisting of Spartiaa 

 arundinacea. On near inspection, the damp foot of the cliffs is found to be covered with mosses 

 and liverworts, which latter form in favourable situations continuous green sheets, covering the earth 

 beneath the grass. 



"Unfortunately, specimens in fructification were rare. Two ferns, Anplcnium ohtusatum, growing 

 in the clefts of the rocks, and Lomaria alpina, are most abundant under the cliffs. The Lomaria 

 plants, where situated on stony slopes and comparatively starved, were all provided with fertile 

 fronds ; whilst, when growing in the rich vegetable mould, they were comjnonly without fructifica- 

 tion. The commonest flowering plants under the cliffs are Apium australc, Umpctrum, Souc/mx 

 oleraceus, Hypochceris glabra, and a plant with strongly scented leaves, Chenopodium tomentosum, 

 which is used as tea by the inhabitants, a decoction of the leaves being drunk with milk 

 and sugar. The plant also grows abundantly on Inaccessible Island, but only the remains of last 

 season's inflorescence were to be found. Ncrtcra depressa is very abundant, creeping everywhere 

 amongst the moss. The yellow-flowered Oxalis corniculata was not abundant. Cardamine hirsuta 

 was, singularly enough, not met with on either of the three islands of the group, though said by 



uichael to be abundant on the sea-shore." Some shallow fresh-water ponds, close to the sea- 

 beach, were covered with Conferva:, but contained no Chara. Around these ponds grew a minute 

 sedge (Scirpus, sp.) not found on the other two islands of the group. 



"In the gully above the settlement, Phylica nitida, the only tree in the islands, commences at 

 about 400 feet elevation. There are no trees in this locality, since they have been cut down for 



1 Journal of tht Linnean Soei ty of London, xiv. pp. 377-381 ; and Notes by a Naturalist on the Challenger, 

 pp. 108-137. 



- The nomenclature lias been altered in a few instances to bring it into accord with that adopted in this 

 work. 



s This statement is incorrect, and arose from a misreading of the remarks on the distribution of Cardamine 

 via, in Hooker's Flora Antarctica. 



