Vascular Fiants of West Greenland. 



361 



halophytes. Here, as is the case in many places in Greenland, it is 

 the coast which is sinking at a rapid rate. 



On the snnny hasalt and sandstone slopes of South Disco the 

 Arctic heath-j)lants stand so densely that, seen from a distance, it is 

 the plants which colour the slope (Lien). On ascending the slope 

 the plants are found to be all lying prostrate upon the ground; Be- 

 tiila, Cdssiope, Ledum, Rhododendron, Empetrnm and Mijrtillus uliginosa 

 are lying prostrate, matting and entangling their branches with each 

 other; it is a mosaic-picture, and there is no relief. But up here in 

 the copse at Orpik it is not absolutely necessary to photograph the 



Fig. 8. Luxuriant heath on a stony moraine-bottom at the head of Lakse Fjord. Be- 



tula nana has ascending or erect branches with leaves on all sides of them. To the 



right, large inflorescences of Ledum. 



plants directly from above; they can be seen sidewise. The dwarf 

 birch stretches its branches obliquely upwards; it becomes quite a 

 little bush with leaves on all sides instead of a flattened, herbarium 

 plant. On sitting down one can very well see that it protrudes above 

 the others. Cassiope sends straight upwards whole bunches of shoots, 

 closely set with white flowers; Ledum has larger leaves and richer 

 inflorescenses. It is in fact a park-landscape in miniature. And 

 above all these Hierochloë and Åretag rostis protrude, the latter attaining 

 a height of as much as 80 cm. When it flowers, its deeply purple- 

 coloured panicle spreads out pyramidically and it is then the most 

 beautiful and stately Arctic grass I know. There are far fewer mosses 



L. 24 



