12 allan hancock pacific expeditions vol. 12 



Puerto CulebraI^ 



The Hancock Expedition of 1934 stopped at Puerto Culebra. The 

 country behind the shore was wooded. The low, dense woodland was 

 mostly leafless when the visit was made, except for the occasional epiphytes 

 and a few shrubs. It was notably interesting for the mixture of slender 

 columnar cacti among the deciduous trees. The bay showed, near the 

 north side of the entrance, a wide rocky shelf along the shore with good 

 tide pools exposed at extreme low tide. The stone seemed of a traprock 

 character; the surf broke on it, but moderately. As usual on this kind of 

 rock there was not an abundant algal vegetation. In the higher tide pools 

 there were widespread green felts of small forms, and some Myxophyceae, 

 Galaxaura, and corallines. Somewhat inside the bay there was a shelf of 

 coarse conglomerate rock, which had a good growth of Enteromorpha 

 lingulata on it. Dredging done here yielded a few things of importance, 

 especially a new Chondria (C. platyclada), but in very small amount. 



Golfo Dulce, Puntarenas^* 



The Hancock Expedition in 1939 made a very profitable visit to Golfo 

 Dulce, near the southern boundary of Costa Rica. A large bay with a 

 broad entrance, it is very deep, but there is anchorage near the entrance 

 on each side. The Velero III anchored on the western side, where rocky, 

 clifTlike points alternate with smooth beaches. A very considerable swell 

 made working the cliffs for algae difficult, but a little north of them, 

 nearer the sand, there were areas of broken rocks and boulders. Tide 

 pools were to be found here and crevices between the boulders, where 

 there were excellent collecting spots and it was possible to work out 

 rather far at low tide. 



The most notable element in the vegetation was the profusion of 

 Galaxauras, eight so-called species by name, but probably the sexual and 

 asexual forms of four species, nevertheless an unusual richness of this 

 genus for the eastern Pacific. Furthermore, a large Liagora was common, 

 and this genus too is seldom found on this coast. Quite abundant were 

 Padina Durvillaei and P. crispata, with Digenia and other things. There 

 was a well-de\^eloped mat vegetation on rocks of species of small stature, 

 included in which there were a Cladophora, Gelidia, and Amphiroas. No 

 effective dredging was done here. 



13 Ibid., p. 158, pi. 80, fig. 171, pi. 81, fig. 172. 

 -^^Ibid., p. 160, pi. 77, pi. 78, fig. 166. 



