FLORA OF THE KURILE ISLANDS. 211 



of the northern approaches remarkably the Hora of the Behring Sea region (northeastern Asiatic 

 and northern Pacific). 



In the southern Knriles, for instance, we have such phints as the following, which show a strong 

 aflinity to the vegetation of the warmer climate : — Ranunculus japonicus, Viola verecuiida, Dlan- 

 thus sujyerbus, Hypericum erec/um, Skimmia japoiiica. Ilex crenata, Evonymus alata, RIius Iricho- 

 carpa, Itlius Toxicodendron, Hydrangea scandens, Aralia raceinosa, var., Acanthopanax ricinifolia, 

 Leucotho'e Grayana, (Jrawfurdia japonica and Bambusa kurilensis. 



Compared with the flora of Saghalin, we find a close resemblance between them in the vegetation 

 of their respective soutiiei-n portions. Both enjoy al)out the same climate and arc under the same 

 influences as the Japanese flora. Toward the north their contrast is striking, from the obvious rea- 

 son of their proximity to diflerent floral regions. 



There are forty -three species in the Kuriie flora which have not }^et been found in Saghalin, but 

 which are known to occur in Japan. Of these, seventeen plants grow also in Kanitschatka and ad- 

 jacent districts. However small in nnml)er, consideration of these plants would be of some help to 

 explain how far this chain of volcanic islands has ])een the means of introducing northern Asiatic 

 plants into Japan. These seventeen species are as follows : — 



Clematis fusca. . Erigeron salsuginosus. Pedicularis Cliamissonis. 



Burharea vulgaris. Cassiope lycojiodioides. Polygonum vivijxirum. 



Stella ria Jl^orida. Bryantlius taxifolius. liumex Acelosa. 



Stellaria ruscifolia. Prirnida cuneifoUa. Microstylis monophyllos. 



Trifolium Liqnnaster. Severtia tetrapetala. Equisetum limosum. 



Saxifraga Merkli. Veronica Stelleri. 



Some of these plants are of such wide distribution in the northern hemisphere that it is not fair 

 io include them in our consideration of this question. Such plants as Barharea vulgaris, Trifolimn 

 Lupinasler, Bryant/tus taxi/'olius. Polygonum viviparum, liumex Acetosa, Microstylis monophyllos, 

 and Equisetum limosum, we may expect any time from Saghalin, as they are very common in all the 

 surrounding countries. To the same category, I may add Glemalis fusca. This reduces our list 

 about one-half. 



Stellaria Jlorida, Saxifraga Merkii, and Pedicularis Ohamissonis exist in J;ipan only as varieties 

 in its alpine regions. This indicates that these plants were introduced into Japan a long time ao"o. 

 The typical forms ot' St. Jlorida and Sax. Merkii are now distributed in the northeastern part of Asia, 

 extending from the Baikal district to Kanitschatka; and Ped. Ohamissonis is found in Alaska, the 

 Aleutian Islands and Kanitschatka. Their presence in the northei-n Knriles in the present day does 

 not necessarily prove that the species were introduced into Japan through this channel. It may 

 simply indicate that they have been introduced here in recent times from Kimitschatka. The natnie 

 of the geology and general vegetation of these islands sup[)orts the latter view. According to Pro- 

 fessor Milne, as I have stated before, all the northern Kuriles are of very recent formation, and "at 

 the time when Japan was colonized, these step[)ing stones were probaiily without existence." 



The scanty vegetation which we find in these northern islands is mostly composed of plants 

 growing in Kanitschatka and the Aleutian Islands. The greater part of them arc not yet known to 

 come down to the southern Knriles. A few plants, which are decidedly characteristic of northern 

 Japan and the southern Kuriles, have also been found in some of the smaller islands north of Uriip. 

 Petasites japonica, for instance, is said to extend as far north as the island of Matua, and Bamhusa 

 kurilensis and Taxus cusjndata, to Ketoy. Thus it seems that these northern Kuriles are now in 

 the stage of receiving their vegetation from l)oth Kanitschatka and the southern Kuriles. Doubtless 



MKMOIKS liOSTON SOC. NAT. lUSI'., VOL. IV. M 



