4 c 



Canadian Arctic Expedition, 191S-18 



Second Norwegian Arctic Expedition in the Fram 1898-1902, Vol. 2, Krist- 

 iania, 1906, containing Fungi collected by H. G. Simmons and deter- 

 mined by E. Rostrup. 



Due d'Orleans, Croisi^re Oc^anographique accomplie k bord de la Belgica 

 dans la mer du Gronland 1905. Bruxelles, 1907. 



Some Alaskan and Yukon Rusts, The Plant World, Vol. 14, 233, 1911, by 

 J. C. Arthur. 



So far as I know these are the only reports upon collections of American 

 arctic fungi. There have been other collections of phanerogamous plants but 

 usually if the collectors of such plants are not looking for fungi they remove 

 discoloured and deformed parts when they do not or cannot select clean, healthy- 

 looking specimens. 



Anyone who has observed the greatly varied and abundant fungus flora of 

 rich woods in southern Canada and contrasted it with the scanty and poorly 

 developed flora in an exposed and comparatively arid region is prepared to 

 believe that within the Arctic circle the fungi will be very meagerly represented. 



In the report on the cryptogamic botany of Alaska published for the Harri- 

 man Alaska Expedition in 1903-04, the editor. Dr. William Trelease, notes that 

 up to that time only 14 species of fungi had been listed.' Commenting thereupon, 

 he says: "The fact remains that almost nothing is known of the fungus flora of 

 Alaska and yet conditions are favourable for a development there of a large 

 representation of this group of plants." He referred to the rainfall and fogs 

 and mists common on the long coastal region favouring as they do a large and 

 varied phanerogamic vegetation. Besides, the lower coast of Alaska from Sitka 

 and Yakutat to Kadiak, where much of the Harriman expedition's collecting 

 was done, is nearly 500 miles south of the Arctic circle. That so few Alaskan 

 fungi had been enumerated prior to 1900 is the more surprising in view of the 

 fact that at the same date no less than 386 Alaskan species and varieties of their 

 congeners — ^the lichens — had been listed. ^ 



Greenland's long coast-line both on the east and west sides has been explored 

 at many points by scientists connected with several Danish and other expedi- 

 tions; and while, doubtless, there will yet be important additions made, its 

 fungus flora is much more completely studied than that of any other extensive 

 region of arctic America. In making comparisons it must be borne in mind, 

 however, that its southern point is more than 450 miles south of the Arctic circle. 



TABLE SHOWING DISTRIBUTION OF ARCTIC FUNGI 



Alaska 



Arctic 

 Canada 



Greenland 



Myxomycetes 



Phycomycetes 



Pyrenomycetes 



Discomycetes 



Uredineae 



Ustilagineae 



Hymenomycetes 



Gasteromycetes 



Fungi Imperfecti, including 



Sphaeropsides 



Mucedines 



Melanooniae et al 



Other Orders 



7 



7 

 56 

 26 

 46 



4 

 56 



4 



43 

 4 









 50 

 11 



9 



3 

 35^ 



4 



26 

 4 



6 



7 



195 



113 



27 



12 



105 



15 



172 

 16 



'Trelease, William, in the Harriman Alaska Expedition, Vol. V, 13. 

 ^Cummings, Clara E., in Harriman Alaska Expedition, Vol. V, 69. 

 =The unidentified species are included. 



