200 



rous thick, short, erect rhizomes being united into a single 

 mass, and bearing many adventitious roots. 



All the leaves are foliage-leaves and occur in a rosette. 

 They may live through the \vinter in a fresh, green condition. 

 At Upernivik in places recently freed from snow, erect, green 

 leaves occurred, surrounded by the dead parts. The leaves are 

 sometimes reddish, especially on their undersides. 



Lateral shoots are developed in the axils of the flowering 

 shoots even from the commencement of their flowering-period, 

 the principal bud being in the uppermost leaf-axil, and the 

 others in basipetal succession. The principal bud may develop 

 so quickly that it makes the inflorescence appear lateral, and 

 may flower simultaneously Avith the parent shoot. The shoots 

 may remain several years in a vegetative stage before flower- 

 ing. Specimens with several inflorescences, produced by rapid 

 growth of the lateral shoots of a flowering shoot, occur fairly 

 frequently. 



Seedlings are described and figured by Lindmark. In 

 1877 1 sowed seed in April, and in August 1878 the seedlings 

 had close-set rosette-leaves and fibrous roots, but were not 

 yet branched. 



The flowers pass the winter well-developed, and are 

 among the first to open in spring. Specimens from the north 

 coast of Siberia had inflorescences for the next year distinctly 

 developed even by the end of August. The flowers are small and 

 inconspicuous, the diameter is only 5 — 8 mm. ; in Siberia some 

 measured 10 mm. across (Kjellman, according to Ekstam). The 

 calyx is often brownish-red in colour, and the petals are whitish, 

 or greenish yellow, or reddish to light pink or white with red 

 tips. They are erectly-spreading, and of the same length as 

 the calyx or somcAvhat longer (Figs. 21, 22). The stamens have 

 reddish or yellowish filaments and pale minium-red anthers. 

 The styles often become dark-red in older flowers. 



Honey is secreted by the glistening, greenish base of the 



