no H.G.SIMMONS. [sec. ARCT. EXP. FRAM 



Ranunculus nivalis, L. 



B. nivalis, Linnaeus, Sp, plant., 1753; Lange, Consp. Fl. Groenl. ; Khuuse, List E. 

 Greenl.; Nathorst, N. W. GrOnl.; Hart, Bot. Br. Pol. Exp., ex p.; Hooker, 

 Fl. Bor. Amer., ex p.; Britton & Brown, III. Fl. (ex p.?); Davis, Ran. N. Amer., 

 ex p.; Kjellman, in Vegaexp.; Ledebour, Fl. Ross., excl. /?; Feilden, Fl. pi. 

 Nov. Zeml.; Andersson & Hesselman, Spetsb. karlv. 

 Fig. Linnaeus, FI. Lapp., T. 3, fig. 2; Sv. Bot., T. 394; Fl. Dan., T. 1699. 



However difficult this species may be to distinguish from the 

 last one when both are young, it is easily discerned even at a distance, 

 in the fruiting stage. The stems then spread outwards, and become 

 assurgent, whereas those of B. sulphureus always are stiff and erect. 

 To the characters of the head of fruits and the torus previously men- 

 tioned may also be added, that the achenes are smaller, thinner, and 

 have a considerably longer beak. The basal leaves are at least twice 

 cleft, and the segments more pointed than in the latter species. The 

 flowers perhaps are a little paler yellow than in R. sulphureus, but 

 never white, as recorded by Britton & Brown, 1. c. II, p. 76, so long 

 as they are fresh, when fading, however, they will often become almost 

 white. Also in badly dried specimens they may get whitish; such it 

 may be that have caused the wrong statement. 



Found in flower about the end of June and fruiting in August. 

 Generally growing in mossy soil, which diies up during the summer, 

 often in company with Draba fladnisensis. 



Occurrence. North coast: Floeberg Beach (leg. Feilden!). Grin- 

 nell Land, Discovery Harbour (Hart!), other localities uncertain as Hart 

 has confounded it both with B. sulphureus and with B. Sdbinei. Hayes 

 Sound region probably not common, specimens only from Bedford Pim 

 Island, in the slope towards Rice Strait (696). Probably overlooked in 

 other places because of the likeness to B. sulphureus; also recorded 

 by Hart. Southern east coast: Gale Point (Durand). South coast; 

 rather common: Fram Fjord (Wetherill, 1618), Muskox Fjord (2134, 

 4223), and especially in the Goose Fjord, East of 3rd winter quarters 

 (3354, 3491, 4224), Yellow Hill (3580), 4th winter quarters (4226), Falcon 

 Cliff, and other places. West coast: Reindeer Gove, between Eidsfjord 

 and Baumann Fjord. 



Distribution: Northern East and West Greenland, Arctic American 

 Archipelago, Arctic America, Labrador, Rocky Mountains, Arctic Siberia, 

 Arctic Russia, Novaja Semlja, Spitsbergen, Northern Scandinavia, 

 Iceland. 



