DUSEN : THE VEGETATION OF WESTERN PATAGONIA. 



21 



tation is likewise not rich in species, consisting only of Nertera depressa, 

 Urtica magellanica Poir., Pilea elliptica Hook, fil., Uncinia phleoides, Rubus 

 geoides Sm., and Osmorhiza berterii. Of ferns I should mention Phegop- 

 teris spectabilis Fee, Aspidium orbictilatum Desv. and A. multifidum Mett., 

 Blechnum pinna-marina and B. chilense and Alsophila pruinata, all of 

 them rare. 



The vegetation of epiphytic phanerogams includes three species, Mit- 

 raria coccinea, Asteranthera chiloensis and Luzuriaga radicans, all very 

 common. Of parasitic plants I noticed only Myzodendron punctulatum 

 and M. oblongifofatm DC. Particularly interesting is the occurrence of 

 lianas in these forests, although they have only one representative here, 

 Hydrangea scandens Poepp., the most powerful liana of Chili and western 

 Patagonia. It is one of the most ornamental plants of the landscape and 

 where, as is often the case, it covers the broken trunks in profusion, it 

 offers an attractive sight with its rich display of clusters of white flowers. 



Only on the islands and river banks is a more luxuriant vegetation to be 

 found. Fitchsia magellanica, Escallonia macrostemma, Aristotelia magni 

 L'Her. and Tepualia stipularis here grow in dense, almost impenetrable 

 thickets. The vegetation of herbs is rich in species, owing to a steady 

 migration of plants from the upper courses of the river. The seeds are 

 carried along by the current and deposited on the banks and islands, but 

 these immigrant plants would soon be eliminated from the strand flora by 

 the annual overflowing of the river and the deposition of its sediments, 

 if there were not a constant supply of fresh individuals always coming 

 down. In a similar way have been added a few representatives of the 

 Alpine flora of the mountains surrounding the valley. In the following 

 list of the most important elements of the flora of the river banks and 

 islands those species which have migrated from the district of the deciduous 

 beeches are marked thus * and those from the Alpine flora thus * *. 



Pernettya mucronata Gaud. 



furens Klotzsch. 

 Baccharis pcdence Phil. 



* Colletia spinosa Lam. 



* Discaria discolor (Hook.). 

 Tepualia stipularis Gris. 

 Aristotelia magni L Her. 

 Pseudopanax latevirens (Gay.). 

 Maytenus magellanica (Lam.) Hook. 



Ribes sp. (probably R. magellanicum Poir.). 

 * * Senecio trifurcatus Less. 



danyausii Hombr. et Jacq. 



argenteus Kze. 



dusenii O. Hoffin. sp. nov. 



otites Kze. 

 Gnaphalium pratense Phil. 



* Mutisia rctusa Remy. 



* Nassauvia dusenii O. Hoffm. sp. nov. 



