Arctic Plants: Morphology and Synonymy 35 b 



In Gray's Synopt. Flora (1895-97, p. 29), the species is mentioned only as 

 a synonym of R. pygmaeus Wahlenb. 



The aflSnity of the species is undoubtedly with R. pygmaeus Wahlenb. 

 and several specimens which I have examined may well be mistaken for large 

 specimens of the latter, notably some collected by Simmons in Ellesmereland 

 (Muskox fjord); more typical are the specimens from Cape Bathurst which are 

 of considerably larger size with respect to foUage and flowers, and in some of 

 these the fruiting stalk from the year previous is still preserved; it is strict and 

 measures the height of 14 cm. The specimens from Ellesmereland, on the other 

 hand, show the fruiting stalk arched and bent toward the ground as in R. 

 pygmaeus. R. Sabinii is perennial, of exactly the same habit as R. nivalis and 

 affinis as far as concerns the rhizome, the roots, and the inflorescence. 



PAPAVERACEAE. 

 Papaver nudicaule L. 



According to Fr. Fedde ^ the plant from the arctic and northern part of the 

 subarctic countries represents the subspecies P. radicatum (Rottb.) Fedde; 

 specimens were collected at many stations visited by the expedition. 



The species is perennial with the primary roots persisting for several years 

 as a deep and relatively thick tap-root which bears many slender, lateral rami- 

 fications. Several erect or ascending shoots proceed from the crown of the root, 

 and, on reaching the surface, they develop green leaves and flower-bearing 

 stems, each with a single flower. Large specimens are thus of a caespitose growth 

 in which the leaves form crowded rosettes like cushions, reaching the width of 

 about 12 cm. ; in such specimens the numerous shoots may reach the length of 

 about 5 cm. beneath the surface; they are densely clothed with the persisting 

 leaf-sheaths from previous years. In the tallest specimens the flowering stem 

 measured about 14 cm., the fruiting one up to about 22 cm., but most of the 

 other specimens were much lower. 



CRUCIFERAE. 

 Lesquerella arctica (Rich.) Wats. 



This is a perennial herb with a deep, slender, freely branching, persisting 

 primary root crowned with a compact rosette of leaves from the axils of which 

 the ascending flower-bearing stems arise; the ramification of the shoot is thus 

 monopodial. The rosette of the largest specimen measured 6 cm. in diameter; 

 the height of the flowering stems was about 10 cm. 



Cochlearia groenlandica L. 



Collected as late as the tenth of August, at Bernard harbour, several minute 

 specimens were commencing to bloom; in these the diameter of the rosette 

 measated only Ij cm., the height of the flowering stem 1 cm., and the very thin, 

 primary root about 4 cm. in length. Such small specimens were growing with 

 large ones, about 5 cm. high, and with almost mature pods. 



Draba alpina L. 



A large number of specimens were collected of this species, the largest 

 forming a compact cushion' measuring in diameter 10 cm., with the flowering 

 stems only 3 cm. in height. The primary root persists throughout the life of 

 the plant and attains a considerable length, but is generally slender; only in one 

 specimen did it measure about 3 cm. in thickness. In some very old specimens 



1 A. Engler: Das Pflanzenreich. Leipzig, 1909, p. 376. 

 24657— 3J 



