Some Notes concerning the Vegetation of Germania Land 351 



II. Vegetation-conditions. 



When the Danmark Expedition arrived at Cape Bismarck in 

 the middle of August 1906, it was ahead}^ autumn from a floristic 

 point of view. During the excursions to Stormkap and Hvalrosodde 

 at the end of the month, it was only late-flowering species which 

 were found just in the act of expanding, or else those, whose flowering- 

 period extends over the whole of the summer according to the different 

 localities in which they occur. Among these may be mentioned 

 especially Ranunculus glacialis on damp gravelly flats beneath the 

 melting snow-drifts {Dryas octopeiala also, in part), as also Pedicularis 

 hirsuta, Ranunculus sulphureus and Papaver radicatum. In damp river 

 beds Oxgria digyna is usually conspicuous, with its red leaves and 

 purple-coloured nuts. 



The Dryas-tufts are standing quite brown upon the primitive 

 rocks and are so dry that the leaves crumble between the fingers; 

 at the same time — on August 24 — still luxurious mats of Dryas 

 are to be found upon a slope with a southern aspect where the 

 melted snow of drifts from higher altitudes provides sufficient moisture 

 for the nourishment and necessities of life of these stragglers. Cassiope 

 tetragona, also, has now finished flowering and is quite brown and 

 dry. Along the large Lakseelv, on the northern side, near high-water 

 mark, Saxifraga oppositifolia stood in full bloom, as also a few indivi- 

 duals of Taraxacum phymatocarpum and Lesquerella arctica. The Cype- 

 raceœ also have finished flowering and are withering except near 

 the water-courses. In a few damp places a flowering specimen of 

 Silène acaulis may yet be seen and near the shore, Statice armeria; 

 but a little higher up that also is decaying. 



Upon Fuglenæbsfjæld, at an altitude of about 300 metres, Arnica 

 alpina, Potentilla nivea and Melandrium affine were found in flower, 

 while Stellaria longipes had not yet reached that stage. The locality 

 was a rock-ledge with a humus-like substratum, south-east exposition 

 and sheltered towards the north and west. Upon a level gravel-field 

 percolated by melting snow, Saxifraga oppositifolia was found flower- 

 ing; not until then, when it was released from its snow-covering, 

 did it have its spring. 



