165 



insignificant. Т1теу occur on small drawf-shoots in the axils 

 of the leaves, usually singly, but sometimes 2 — 3 together. 

 Only when a large number occur, clustered near the apex of 

 the vegetative shoots (they are found both upon the creeping 

 and the erect shoots), are they conspicuous, especially on 

 account of their purple anthers. 



While in North and Central Europe it is a fact that 

 bisexual flowers are met with only quite by chance, and also 

 that the staminate flowers appear to be more numerous than 

 the pistillate, yet, judging from the material to hand and the 

 information contained in the literature dealing with the subject, ^ 

 it must be assumed that the flowers in Arctic regions are 

 more frequently hermaphrodite than unisexual. 



As might be expected, flowering commences considerably 

 later in the Arctic regions than in the cold temperate zones. 

 While, in Denmark, it takes place during March or April, — 

 the time differing somewhat according to the weather, and 

 especially according to the amount of exposure, — we find it 

 occurs later, the further northwards we proceed. In the Faeroes, 

 flowering is from April to the middle of May; in Iceland, at 

 the end of May or the beginning of June; and in Greenland, 

 at earliest and in the southern part, at the end of May, although 

 no doubt usually during June ; for, as might be expected, the 

 time of flowering varies in the different districts of so large 

 an area. There are some notes in the literature deahng with 

 the subject, upon the time of flowering, especially in Greenland; 

 and the above observations are based upon these notes as 

 well as upon the material to hand, viz. spirit-collections and 

 herbarium specimens. There are notes from other Arctic regions 

 on the times of flowering which illustrate this retardation, al- 

 though otherwise they diff"er fairly widely as regards the time; 



^ See especially Skottsberg (16, p. 12). In addition to the authors given 

 by Skottsberg, may further be mentioned the following : — Abromeit (1), 

 Anbersson and Hesselman (2), Düsen (5). 



