356 



ting period was over and the topmost part of the grooves, 

 nearest the foot of the mountain, was as a rule dry. Together 

 with Anthelia are found some Stereocaulon and Cetraria is- 

 landica and a few phanerogams, but greatly scattered : Oxyria 

 digyna, Ranunculus pygniaeus, Ranunc. glacialis, Luzula confusa, 

 Salix arctica in small decumbent specimens (Fig. 3), rarely Salix 

 herhacea (which is strangely scarce in this region), Saxifraga 

 cernua, stellaris, decipiens and oppositifolia, Polygonum vivi- 

 panwi, Cerastium alpinum^ Ckamœneriuni latifolium, Draha 

 alpina, Silène acaulis, Cardamine bellidifolia, Alsine biflora. 



Whenever the groove is broad and has been left tranquil 

 for a longer period IJryas, Cassiope tetragona, Carex nardina, 

 Papaver and more species occur. 



The Anthelia-crusi cracks in the drought into little poly- 

 gonal fields of a size of 2 — 5 cm^; in the fissures between the 

 fields (checks) there soon appears a small, fine, crisp form 

 of Cetraria islandica. In proportion as one gets from the 

 beach farther up towards the base of the mountain Cetraria 

 islandica spreads more and more widely in the Anthelia-cover, 

 Cassiope tetragona, Vaccinium uliginosum and other heath plants 

 begin to occur; among others I noted in such places IJryas, 

 Pedicularis hirsuta and Grimmia (hypnoides?). 



While down at the beach, where in many places there 

 still lay an enormous ice-foot and large snowdrifts, we still had 

 the first spring with small, undeveloped flower buds and humi- 

 dity in the Anthelia- co\ er; but according as we withdrew from 

 the beach, we advanced into a more and more complete sum- 

 mer with flovering herbs and bone dry bottom; the difTerence 

 in temperature was felt quite immediately. 



The most luxuriant vegetation was found here as by 

 Cape Dalton at an elevation of from 250 — 500m above the 

 sea level, where one is above the frequent cold fogs. During 

 nearly the whole of our stay the fog kept covering the lowest 

 part of the mountains. 



