2O PATAGONIAN EXPEDITIONS: BOTANY. 



the first steppes of the eastern slope of the Cordillera ; of that time, about 

 one week was lost through rain, the boat-journey up the river lasted three 

 weeks, and it required just the same time to cut our way through the 

 remaining twenty-five kilometers of forest. The journey back to the coast 

 was done in five days, but could easily have been completed in less time. 



Of the species of trees which characterize the forests of the lower and 

 middle Aysen valley, Nothofagus dombeyi is decidedly the most impor- 

 tant. N. nitida is of no great account here and is hardly to be found 

 outside the district around the mouth of the river. Other trees occurring 

 here are Lomatia ferruginea, Lauretta aromatica, Eugenia sp., Caldcluvia 

 paniculata, Drimys ivinteri, Embothrium coccineiim, Podocarpus nubigena, 

 Saxegothea conspicua Lindl., Weimnannia trichosperma and Edivardsia 

 macnabiana, the last of which appears to be restricted to the river banks. 

 Rarely, and only on the islands and at the river side, occur Nothofagus 

 antarctica and N. pumilio. Both, certainly, are only occasional guests 

 here, their seeds doubtless having been carried down from the upper 

 valley, where the deciduous beeches are at home. They are the only 

 deciduous trees of that section of the Aysen valley, the flora of which we 

 are considering. 



The trees do not stand very close together and the light falling on the 

 ground should presumably be sufficient for a comparatively rich under- 

 growth, were it not kept down by the Chusquea grasses. Where these 

 grow most densely which is especially the case on alluvial soil almost 

 all trace of other vegetation is wanting, the ground beneath its covering 

 of fallen and faded Chusquea leaves and between their stalks being quite 

 bare. In places where the ground is quite stony and where smaller 

 streams rush or trickle down to the river, the Chusqttea grass, as a rule, 

 grows less closely and an undergrowth of bushes and herbs is to be 

 found, though but poorly developed. On the other hand, the mosses in 

 such places are often rich or even luxuriant. From time to time a falling 

 tree kills some of the mighty Chusquea mounds and the clearings thus 

 made are soon, though probably for only a short time, taken possession 

 of by an undergrowth of shrubs, which is sometimes rather dense. The 

 species composing it are the following: Tecoma valdiviana, Cynoctomum 

 pachyphyllum Dene, Dacostea ruscifolia Clos, Azara lanceolata Hook, fil., 

 Daphne pillopillo Gay., Philesia buxifolia and Senecio cymostis Remy, the 

 three last named of which were found only once. The herbaceous vege- 



