﻿TJie Flora of Neivfoundland. 7 



Although these hills from a distance appear very sterile^ 

 they prove much better collecting ground than could be 

 anticipated. Exposed and storm-swept as they are, they 

 have frequent little springy hollows, where, in dense mats 

 of sphagnum, a considerable number of carices, eriophora, 

 junci, and even the smaller orchids are to be found. Aside 

 from these, the hill vegetation is largely composed of a 

 variety of shrubs, of which the most abundant are Alnus 

 viridis, Viburnum pauciflorum, Cornus stolonifera, and Ribes 

 prostratum, together with a number of species of Rubus 

 and Vaccinium as well as Empetrum nigrum and Potentilla 

 tridentata. 



Back of these exposed hills the country is more pro- 

 tected, and covered in part by forests of fir and spruce. 

 Here the best collecting ground was found to be the rocky 

 banks of small streams, which, in this part of Newfound- 

 land, flow chiefly across strongly tilted strata, giving their 

 beds and banks much irregularity — favouring the peculiar 

 vegetation attracted by crevices of moist rocks near 

 running water. One of these small water - courses, 

 called Kennie's Eiver, about twenty minutes walk from 

 St. John's, was most frequently visited, and, beside many 

 other species, furnished Triodia decumbens, Nardus stricta, 

 and in a neighbouring pool the natant form of Juncus 

 supinus, all of which are exceptional in their American 

 occurrence. 



The chief fresh-water vegetation of the region was 

 secured at Quiddy-Viddy Lake, near the city. Perhaps 

 the most noteworthy plant found there was Ranunculus 

 hederaceus, which carpets considerable patches of the 

 shores. Professor Britton queries whether it may not be 

 indigenous here, which is very possible, although evidence 

 for such a view is not easy to furnish, and it must be 

 remembered that the occurrence is near a prominent port. 

 Mr. Waghorne has collected the species also, at New Har- 

 bour, far up the east coast. Virginia Water, an attractive 



