SPHAGNUM BOGS OF ALASKA 169 



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Kellogg mentions the occurrence of Vaccinium vitis-idaea and 

 Oxycoccus in ''peaty bogs and sphagnous morasses." Macoun, 

 writing of Saint George and Saint Paul Islands says: ''The number 

 of bog and marsh plants is very small, though many of the species 

 that grow elsewhere are also found on the damp boggy spots that 

 are so characteristic of both islands. There is but one true bog 

 on Saint Paul Island, several on Saint George. On these Ruhus 

 chamaemorus, Saxifraga hirculus, Pedicularis sudeiica, and Peta- 

 sites frigida grow in profusion, but they are all found on other 

 parts of the island. The greater part of the surface of both islands 

 is tundra-like There are many level areas of con- 

 siderable extent on both islands, called by Dr. Merriam, moss-bogs; 



but no true bog plants are found on them " Heller, 



speaking of the distribution of Lysichiton camtschatkense in the 

 Prince William Sound region says: 'Mbout bogs and stream 

 margins in the forest, this plant occurs abundantly." It seems 

 evident, however, that he uses /'bog" and "tundra "as synonyms. 

 His list includes no plants that the writer has found characteristic 

 of Alaskan sphagnum bogs. 



DIXON HARBOR, VISITED MAY 15-16 



The bogs at Dixon Harbor are small, none of them exceeding 

 60 feet in diameter. They are all located within a tundra-like 

 area which comprises perhaps 25 acres. This area probable does 

 not anywhere reach a greater elevation than 150 feet. It begins 

 at the beach and borders a small mountain stream. The bogs are 

 confined to places where sphagnum has grown abundantly in 

 a place whose rocky substratum has a conformation that prevents 

 drainage. 



The neighboring mountain sides are covered with coniferous 

 forest, often bordered near the beach by a growth of Alnus sin- 

 uata. Both within the tundra area and along the borders of the 

 forest there are many rocks having no soil except in their crevices, 

 but still supporting vegetation. The following species of plants 

 are characteristic of the four habitats just mentioned. 



Forest: Picea sitchensis, Tsuga mertensiana, Pinus contorta, Chamaecyparis 

 nootkatensis, Alnus sinuata. % 



