THK VEGETATION OK THE JUAN FERNANDEZ ISLANDS 869 



WOODV CLIMHERS, EPIPHYTES and PARASITES. 



The almost complete absence of these life-forms in Juan Fernandez is note- 

 worthy, the more so as they are more or less well represented on the Chilean 

 mainland. 



Calystcgia tuguriorum R. Br. Only found in three of the canyons in Masa- 

 fuera, not far from their entrance, trailing at the foot of the barrancas and pend- 

 ent from the ledges. There are few trees or shrubs in the places where Caly- 

 stegia grows and it was not seen climbing. The prostrate, slender and densely 

 foliated branches arc several m long and wind around each other, forming an 

 entangled network. I have never seen it in flower or fruit. 



Robinsonia ei'cnia is perhaps not an obligate epiphyte, even if it comes 

 nearer to this type than any other species in the islands; see above p. 843. 

 Not few of the other rosette trees will, as we have seen, germinate on the trunks 

 of tree-ferns, and the same is the case with some other ligneous species, but 

 they cannot be classified as facultative epiphytes. This is, however, true of a 

 couple of the herbs, as will be noted later. The others may start as epiphytes, 

 later sending roots into the soil. 



Phrygilanthus BerteroiV\\\\. (Loranthaceae) is the only parasite (hemiparasitic) 

 on trunks of trees [Xot/iomyrda); it must be very rare, and to our regret we 

 failed to find it. Euphrasia formosisshna is, of course, a root-parasite (on Per- 

 nettya), and the same was perhaps true of the extinct Santalum. 



Herbaceous plants. 

 Phanerophytes. 



Giinnera peltata Phil., "Pangue" (Panque and Panke are corruptions and should 

 be avoided). Gunneraceae. Endemic on Masatierra, common all through the forest 

 belt and ranging west to Cerro Tres Puntas, preferably in humid valleys, where 

 it attains enormous size, extending from the highest ridges, where there is suffi- 

 cient moisture, and descending to about 100 m above sea-level in Villagra, 

 forming a fringe along the streams in the grass-land (PI. 85). The largest herb in 

 the islands, often branching from the base (observed already on seedlings); stem 

 horizontal and rooting, curved-erect, raised to 2 or 3 m, exceptionally as much 

 as 5 m, 15 — 30 cm in diameter, with a terminal rosette of leaves and with extra- 

 axillary inflorescences (PI 'jG; see also Skottsb. 3, pi. 2). With regard to the 

 morphology and development, see Skottsb. 12. In the terminal bud the leaves 

 are protected by the so-called ligules and by the mucus produced by cauline 

 glands. Leaves (the small juvenile ones excepted) peltate, limb soft chartaceous 

 with succulent ribs, to 1.9 m across, petiole to 85 cm long and 3 cm thick, 

 widening to a sheath 20 cm broad at base. Flowers from late winter to February, 

 fruit (small, coral red drupes) from January on. Inflorescence to i m long. G. 

 peltata is sensitive to drought, and a cut leaf will wither in a couple of hours. 



Ermel (p. 87) gave a fantastic description of the giant pangue, telling that 

 the leaves are 25 feet tall, that the limb can bear the weight of man and that 

 the petioles, which are soft and very juicy, are used as fence-posts! 



