436 SKETCH OF THE FLORA OF ALASKA. 



timber, and the pine and the larcli are seldom seen — tlie latter, however, not ceas- 

 ing so soon as the former." — (L. c, p. 19.) 



Mertens completes the picture of the vegetation of Sitta with reports of the 

 species of aconite, aqnilegia, claytonia, nibns, saxifraga, cpilobium, vacciuium, 

 mimulus, orcliids, and sedges, which add variety and beauty to the scene ; some 

 of them specificalh'^ the same as those g'rowing on the eastern slope of America 

 and in the United States. Ho also notes a grass (PoaJ growing two or three 

 feet liigh 5 " various fems, which are, however, types of those which prevail in 

 Knssia, grow in great luxuriance." 



From Chamisso (in Hookei-'s Botanical Miscellany, vol. i, p. 317,) we learn 

 that on the peninsula of Alaska (Alaska proper) a few trees are found ; but on 

 the island of Ounalashka, which has a more Arctic oceanic climate, the scene is 

 changed; for "a few n"iiseral)le firs, originally brought from Sitka and planted 

 at Ounalashka, may still bo seen, most of them decayed, and the others seem 

 scarcely likely to live." 



"At Ounalashka, under the same latitude as Lubeck, the willows scarcely grow 

 higher than the luxuriant grass and herbs of the moist grounds. As soon as 

 we ascend the inferior hills a completely Alpine vegetation appears ; even on 

 the least elevated regions of the mountains are some Vaccinia, resembling V. 

 Myrt'dlus, which scarcely rise above the ground. Besides the brilliant verdure 

 (due to a moist atmosphere) which hero adorns the grass and enlivens the rocks, 

 the lustre of the fresh unsullied snow and of some social plants bestow on this 

 dreary country a rarity and beauty of hue which are quite delightful. Lupinus 

 NootJcatensis, Mimulm lufeus, Epilohium angusti folium and latifolium, Blwdoden- 

 dron KamtscJuiticum, etc., are among the most conspicuous. The fresh gi'een 

 of the tvu'f even reminded us of the valley of Ursera. 



" The vegetation here appears to have nothing further in common wath that of 

 St. Peter and St. Paul than as respects its Alpine Hora and the coast plants of these 

 northern shores. Besides such species as are likewise found more north we have 

 only Lilium (Fritillaria) Kamtscliaticum and the Uvularia amplexifolia fStrep- 

 topus) common to both places, while on the contrary we found more Kamtschat- 

 kan species of plants on the American coast north of Behring's strait, which we 

 missed at Ounalashka. It is the flora of the northwest coast of America which 

 descends to the base of the hills of this island, where it unites with the Arctic 

 flora. As examples of this we may cite Buhus specfabilis, Lupinus Nootl-atensis, 

 (which may also be found, though dwarfish, on the hills.) EpiJobium hiteum, 

 Miiindus luteus, Claytonia Unalasddcensis and Sihirica may also bo reckoned here. 

 Sanguisorha Canadensis, Lithospermum angustifolium belong to the common 

 flora of America. Many species of grapes thrive in the low lands, with some 

 Umbdlatce, such as Angelica, Heracleum, etc. A dozen Carices, scarcely fomiing 

 a larger proportion of the vegetation than in the north of Germany, some Scripi 

 and Erioplwra, accompany them, with a iow Juncim the proportion of about one 

 to two. The OrchidacecB form a group of some importance, both because of the 

 number of the species and the beauty of the individuals. They prevail both in 

 the vfilleys and on the hills, and we encounter eleven kinds, among them a beau- 

 tiful Cypripedium. Higher north we did not observe a single species of the 

 family. Of the fems we found about eight species; nearest the pole there is but 

 one Eilix, and of this we saw but a single specimen. In Ounalashka there are 

 some Lycopodia; in the more Arctic regions but one. We found in the lakes 

 many water plants, Potamogefon, Sparganium, Ranunculus aquatilis ; in the 

 higher latitudes we observed only the two species of Hippuris aud the common 

 CalUfriche." (L. c. pp. 317, 318.) 



[I can now enumerate but ten species of orchids. Some are also found north 

 of Ounalashka. The remark concerning the ferns needs the qualification of at 

 least one, and perhaps of two, more species. — J. T. R.j 



