Bd. IV: ı2) THE VEGETATION IN SOUTH GEORGIA. 17 
On the level ground behind the oa, at the foot of the hills, are tundra-meadows 
(Fig. 3) and KRostkovia-swamps and on the sunny, well-watered slopes, beauti- 
ful mats of Acaena adscendens (Plate 6). The meadows S of Pot Harbour were among 
the best developed I saw in the island (Fig. 3). Coming round the ridge south of 
the cove, one reaches an extensive plain, probably one of the largest pieces of level 
ground to be found on the island, with a length of 6 and a breadth of 2.5 km (Plate 
I, 5:1) but a very windy place. Along the shore it is bordered by coarse shingle 
with Poa and Acaena, which also clothe the moraine wall running along the eastern 
edge of the plain. Along the mountains is much swampy ground, especially round 
the Penguin River which comes from a small lake, collecting the water from the sur- 
rounding mountains and from the Hamberg Glacier, which once occupied the valley 
and carried down the material now filling it up and forming the plain. The greatest 
part of it shows a meagre tundra with scattered phanerogams and large, low and 
flat cushions of peat-forming Polytricha and other mosses. Patches of naked gravel 
with stunted phanerogams and finer fruticulose lichens are met with a intervals. Into 
the plain opens a side valley running SE-NW and by us called Junction valley, 
for at 350 m above sea level a pass is reached, over which one comes down into 
another valley opening towards the West Fjord. The vegetation on the sides of 
this valley, where once a big glacier came down on the plain and joined the Ham- 
berg glacier, once more fixes our attention on the importance of exposure in South 
Georgia. Nowhere is there any rich vegetation, but on the SW side meadows reach 
at least 200—250 m and single phanerogams were found up to a height of about 
500 m, the highest point at which vascular plants have been found in South Georgia. 
The contrast with the opposite side of the valley is enormous, for there I saw no- 
thing but piles of stones and large snow-drifts and no trace of vegetation beyond 
some lichens encrusting the stones or a tuft of an Andreaea or a Grimmia in the 
crevices. 
3. The mountain-ridge E of the Hamberg-glacier 
shows some patches of grasses in the lower parts. On the other side of the Moraine 
Fjord we spent some days on the peninsula separating this inlet from the main 
branch. Along the coast is a series of beautiful terraces, clothed with tundra 
meadows and tussock-grass, but as there was much snow at the time of our visit, 
it was not possible to make further observations. 
I have already above adverted to the vegetation in Royal Bay. In compari- 
son with places such as May Cove or Pot Harbour, it gives a rather poor impression. 
3—121650. Schwedische Südpolar-Expedition 1901—1903. 
