Bd. IV: ı2) THE VEGETATION IN SOUTH GEORGIA. Ig 
The inland vegetation of South Georgia, the grassy tundra or tundra-meadow, 
as I shall call it, described by both WıLL and myself, covering much larger areas 
than the tussock and further giving the peculiar South Georgian stamp to the land, 
is not mentioned by WARMING; only a lichen-tundra is mentioned on p. 209. 
I. The Poa-flabellata-association. — Plates 2—5: ı. 
This association is largely composed of one single plant, the one that gave it 
its name. Very few plants are able to grow together with Poa flabellata. Of a 
rapid growth, it forms a mighty pedestal of peat, composed of leafsheaths, rhizomes 
and roots, and very firm, crowned by a dense mass of leaf-shoots. I do not know 
the maximum age of a tussock, only that a specimen like that on Pl. 4 must be 
20—30 years old. In the astronomical observatory in Royal Bay, which had lost its 
roof, I found a fine specimen with a diameter of about I m; it could of course. not 
be older than 19 years. On plate 3 is shown how the old withered leaves cover 
the pedestal and the ground between the plants: there is nothing left for other spe- 
cies and it is quite easy to explain, why this association is often pure. The over- 
hanging leaves from neighbour-tussocks meet over the tunnels between the pedestals; 
few plants are able to germinate in their shadow. Where an individual dies off and 
starts decaying, other plants, mosses, Acaenae a. o. come in and occupy the spot, 
at least for some time, till another tussock of Poa starts to fill the vacancy. Many 
of the plants mentioned in my lists grew on scattered spots of ground between the 
tussocks or more often along the outer margin of it, for, just as in a forest many 
plants appear only on its skirts, so not a few species that do not really belong to 
the Poa-community may thrive in a corresponding position. 
Jason Harbour. A close community of Poa, reaching as far as there is a 
beach of shingle and outwards fringed by Acaena adscendens. Tongues of tussock 
run upwards on the slopes to a height of 50 m or more. Bryophytes play a very minor 
part; some small tufts are found on Poa-hillocks or between them — is there a clear 
space, Pogonatum alpinum may form large firm cushions where Acaena tenera seems to 
grow well. In the bottom of the Acaena-carpet there are always some mosses, and 
especially Tortula robusta seems to be found in company with Acaena everywhere. 
The following species, more or less belonging to the tussock, were noted: ! 
Bartramia patens var. Tortula robusta 
Bryum lamprocarpum Webera ampliretis 
Dieranum tenwicuspidatum 
Philonotis vagans Lophozia badia 
Pogonatum alpinum Marchantia cephaloscypha. 
" Here, as in the following pages, dominant species are given in fat-faced types. 
