388 



polystachium , Carex rigida ^ C. rarifiora and Equisetum ar- 

 vense. 



The sandy part was covered with Dryas-heaih or rocky- 

 flat formation with Salix groenlandica and Pedicularis lappo- 

 nica. The boundary hne between the Cassiope- and Dryas- 

 heath was very sharp and went as a zigzag hne upwards to the 

 south-western corner of the range of hills (ög. 13). 



The /Л -yrts-heath becomes, towards north, more scarce 

 and is folloved by a rocky-flat formation with widely separated 

 individuals, which are often very windworn (fig. 14). 



Close east of the mouth of Ryders Elv on the 

 bare, by the sea partly flooded, flat we found a very peculiar 

 vegetation. There was here a gently arched, somewhat long- 

 ish hill running parallel with the stream consisting of fine, 

 dazzling white, almost clean quartz-sand. Its surface was fur- 

 rowed by crevices of a depth of 1 —2 m, and of a breadth 

 of 2 — 3 m, which following the same main-direction as the 

 stream were turning and winding, now widely and distinctly se- 

 parate, now united into broad channels or round places. Be- 

 tween these, and separating them widely, were numerous, more 

 or less parallel, continuous ranges of fine sand with rather 

 steep sides. Their surfaces were covered with Salix arctica 

 and Chamœnerium latifolimn^ and at places, as a lesser con- 

 stituent part. Polygonum viviparum f. vidgaris together with 

 single tufts of Poa pratensis and Festuca rubra (fig. 15.) The 

 willow was in fruit, whereas Chamœnerium was still in rich 

 flowering bestowing on the whole of the localities a magnifi- 

 cent, reddish-purple colour, especially on the southern part of 

 the area, where the walls were highest and most pronounced. 

 The sides of the walls were closely permeated with roots, and 

 in many places these formed a protecting covering; they were, 

 as a rule, fresh with all their bark, whereas at the ends of the 

 walls, the roots were often stripped of the bark, and remnants 

 of bark-bared branches were sticking out from the sand, while 



