APPENDIX II 



THE MOSSES 



By H. N. DIXON 



The mosses collected — almost exclusively at the South Orkneys — comprised only 

 ten species, nine from the group itself, the remaining one from Wiencke Island in the 

 Palmer Archipelago. Of the nine gathered at the South Orkneys, eight had been 

 previously collected there by Rudmose Brown and La Valette. The ninth species was 

 Rhacomitrimn lanuginosum (Hedw.), Brid., a species of the widest distribution, but not 

 hitherto recorded from the Antarctic. The exact locality was not stated.^ The pre- 

 vailing moss would appear to be Dicranuin aciphyUum, H.f. and W., which was found 

 in two or more of the gatherings, mostly in large quantity. 



The moss collected on Wiencke Island was Drepanodadus brachiahis (Mitt.), Dix. 

 (Syn. Hypmim longifoUiim, Wils.), a species hitherto not recorded from the Antarctic, 

 but widely distributed round the sub-Antarctic Zone. 



None of the mosses was in fruit. The following were collected:' 



SOUTH ORKNEYS 



Rhacomitrimn lanuginosum (Hedw.), Brid. 

 Michelsen Island. St. 1089, 3.1.33. 



Andreaea depressinervis, Card. Altitude : 70 ft. 



Fredriksen Island. St. 1090, 4.1.33. 



Polytrichum alpiniim, Hedw. Approaching var. brevifoUnm (R.Br.). 

 Drepanodadus uncinatus (Hedw.), Warnst. 

 Webera Racovitzae, Card. 

 Dicranum aciphyUum, H.f. and W. 

 Altitude: all four species up to heights of about 150 ft. 



Habitat: long shallow depressions running up the dry scree slopes on the western face of the 

 island. 



Coronation Island, Sandefjord Bay. St. 1091, 9.1.33. 



Brachytheciuni antarcticum, Card. Nearer type than var. cavifolium, Card. The type has not 



been recorded from the South Orkneys. 

 Altitude: up to about 100 ft. 

 Habitat : very wet crevices of the rock. 



Remarks : there is little ground free of ice or snow in the neighbourhood of Sandefjord Bay 

 and what there is is inclined to be soaked by thaw water from the heights above. B. antarcticum 

 appeared to be the only species in this district. 



1 The original label, on which full details of this gathering are given, has unfortunately been 

 mislaid. J.W.S.M. ~ Brief ecological notes have been added to Mr Dixon's list of determinations. 



