Fink : LICHENS OF THE LAKE SUPERIOR REGION. 219 



as yet show only local occurrence. Examination of the route 

 will show that we covered all of the international boundary be- 

 tween Ely and Grand Portage, except about 20 miles in a 

 straight line from the most eastern portion of the Snowbank 

 lake area to Gunflint. Thus the boundary was well studied. 

 The line of travel through the Misquah hills from Gunflint to 

 Lutsen gave a fair view of the interior of the region as well as 

 the highest area in the state. A day .spent along the shore at 

 Lutsen failed to furnish any species not found at Grand Port- 

 age. Consequently, as we were to stop at Tofte, only 10 miles 

 distant, no record was made of the species found at the former 

 place. Tofte, Beaver Bay and the Palisades gave a good view of 

 the lake shore and higher elevations near by in the Sawteeth 

 mountains. It is to be regretted that we did not have oppor- 

 tunity for examination of the lake shore and Sawteeth moun- 

 tains at some points between Lutsen and Grand Portage, but 

 doubtless the number of additional species would not have been 

 large after a thorough examination of the shore both to the ex- 

 treme north and toward the south of the area studied. 



The whole region is one of extreme interest to the lichenist 

 because of the diversity of natural conditions which gives a flora 

 rich in individuals as well as variations within certain species 

 which attracted special attention. The great masses of igneous 

 and metamorphic rocks along the Superior and inland shore 

 lines, the same rocks back from shore lines and the coniferous 

 and various other trees together with diversity as to temperature, 

 moisture and elevation, all help to produce a flora richer in 

 lichen species than I had expected to find. Though the annual 

 precipitation of moisture for the area is not large, yet the com- 

 paratively impervious nature of the rocks causes the water to 

 collect in depressions of surface, forming a multitude of lakes 

 of various sizes whose moist borders are a veritable paradise for 

 lichens and especially for lithophytic species. The dense 

 forests also hold moisture and favor lichen growth. When one 

 finds single branches of Usnea longissima Ach. five feet long, 

 as we collected on Grand Portage island, he realizes the signifi- 

 cance of the name. Here and in some other localities of the 

 region studied the dying conifers especially are literally covered 

 with this plant, other species of the genus and Alectoria jubata 

 (L.) Nyl., all growing in a tangled profusion which obscures 

 the host and when wet with rain or dew furnishes a view of sur- 



