IHE VEGKTATION OK THK JUAN FERNANDEZ ISLANDS 865 



Seeds sown 25.3. 1918 gave a few seedlings during the first weeks of May, but 

 the young plants soon died. 



IgJii Sclkiikii (I look, et Arn.) Berg, "Murtiilo". Myrtaceae. Endemic on 

 Masatierra, not uncoiiiiiion along the elevated ridges but not observed by us 

 much lower than at 450 or 500 m. A densely branched shrub, i — 2 m high, rarely 

 a short-stem tree as much as 3 m tall and with a main stem a few cm in diam- 

 eter. Leaves almost glabrous, small, stifif coriaceous, with yellow transparent 

 dots. The nionopodial shoot begins with a pair of smaller leaves, followed by 

 I — 4 pairs of regular size and ends in a naked, hirsute terminal bud. Second 

 year's growth will repeat the same sequence (Fig. 25 b), bear solitary flowers in 

 January from the lowest nodes and then continue its growth, or remain sterile, 

 and third year's growth carry the first flowers. Generally only 2 (Fig. 25 c), but 

 sometimes 4 or even 6 flowers are found on a shoot. Innovations developing 

 with the flowers. Fruiting branches, collected in August 1908, were resting. 



Nicotiana coidifolia Phil. Endemic on Masafuera, scattered along the rocky 

 shore and at the entrance to some of the canyons, very scarce, but not so rare 

 as supposed by earlier visitors. A straggling shrub or short-stem tree with term- 

 inal and axillary panicles borne on the annual shoot; colour of corolla a brown- 

 ish purple. Large specimens 1.5 — 2 m tall (PI. 73), branched from near the base, 

 the short main stem 5 — 5.5 cm thick. Leaves large, gray tomentose. Material 

 collected 28.8. 1908 (Skottsb. ?, pi. 6:4) in late bloom and with numerous in- 

 novations in various stages, of which those in the upper axils are large, with a 

 stem 10 — 15 cm long, and will provide for the ramification. The most advanced 

 ones had small flowerbuds. In full bloom and with ripe capsules in Feb. — March 

 19 1 7. Possibly the flowering season extends over most of the year. 



Numerous seeds were sown 27.3. 19 18 and 2 seedlings obtained after seven 

 weeks; growth was rapid and both flowered in November but died during the winter. 

 Sown a second time 28.3. 1919 with better result; the first plants flowered in October 

 and bore ripe seeds in November. Two stout specimens were still alive in October 

 1924, but died during the winter, and propagation by cuttings failed. 



Small to dwarfish shrubs, as a rule under i m (N-Ch). 



Lactoris fernander:iana Phil. Lactoridaceae. Endemic on Masatierra and con- 

 fined to the wet fogswept forest belt from Valle Frances to Valle Ingles above 

 500 m, everywhere very scarce though not quite so rare as has been supposed. 

 A densely branched, more or less hemispherical shrub or, perhaps more correctly, 

 a miniature short-stem tree, because a very short but always distinct main 

 stem is present; maximum thickness 1.5 cm. PI. 75: i. Tallest individual obser- 

 ved I.I 5 m. Sprouting in August, the tender glabrous blades folded along the 

 midrib and covered by the hyaline ochrea of the next oldest leaf (Fig. 26 a). 

 Terminal and axillary, i — 3-flowered monochasia from November to January (Figs. 

 26 b, c); flowers either ^ or ? (also cJ, Hemsley, PI. 59), the axillary ones with 

 a dorsal bracteole. Ripe seeds end of April. 



Margyricarpus digynus (Bitter) Skottsb. Rosaceae. Endemic on Masatierra, 

 not uncommon and sometimes abundant along the barren stony ridges below and 



