KUNGL. SV. VET. AKADEMIENS HANDLINGAR. BAND 50. N:0 3- 111 



9. Rostkovia — Hypnum-type, Port Stanley. 



Soc. Rostkovia magellanica Cop. Juncus scheuchzerio\des Spårs. Cortaderia pilosa. 



A ground cover is formed by bryopliytes, among which grow: 



Grog. Pratia repens Cop. Montia rivularis Spårs. Hamtnciihts hifdropltUus. 



Bryophytes, with addition of species reported in 1907 — 8: 

 Brachythecium suhplicatum, Drepanocladus fuegianus, uncinatus, Hypnutn fluitans 

 v. australe ; Aneura inultijida, Cephalozia iuhidata, Lophocolea liöppensis, secundifolia. 

 Lich^ns: Cladonia aggregata, pycnodada. 



10. Rostkovia — Sphagnum-type, Port Louis. 



Soc. Rostkovia magellanica Sol. Cortaderia pilosa. 



Ground cover of Sphagnum fimhriatum var. validius, with solitary specimens 

 of Caltha appendiculata, Ounnera magellanica and Pratia repens. 



The Cortaderia - Astelia— Rostkovia-associatioii. 



The pure high- and low-moors do not cover any large areas. Rostkovia is 

 of ten seen as a member of the moist Cortaderia-meadow, without being so copions 

 as to put its stamp upon it, in most places perhaps only » sol. -spårs. ». Then Astelia 

 is also sure to be encountered, its härd mats spread out here and tliere and accom- 

 panied by Drosera; Oreoholus is generally common, and Ahrotanella. Azorella lyco- 

 podioides, Gaimarda a. o. usually present. Cor/a^Zer /a covers up to "lo of the ground: it 

 is a meadow with Astelia and Rostkovia. The dwarf-bushes are scattered, Chiliotrichmn 

 assumes a dwarf habit or is altogether absent, Myrteola alone being more common, 

 what we also can expect. Cracks in the peat are filled with water and Sphagna, 

 such as S. firnbriatum, medium, and trinitense, and Caltha appendiculata, Pratia repens 

 and Ranunculus hydrophilus raay be found among the peat-mosses. Save for these 

 »lochans» Sphagna are of little consequence, but streams trailing through such träets 

 are of ten quite filled up by them. 



This association, which may be called a meadow-moor, is common in the is- 

 lands on soil intermediate in moisture and drainage between the Cortoc?eWa-association 

 described above and the low-moor. It is generally drained by slowly flowing stream- 

 lets, and af ter heavy rains may appear very swampy. A few days of dry and 

 windy weather make a tolerably firm soil, 



I have described this vegetation as »Corto^ma-Steppe auf feuchtem Boden», 

 and refer to this passage {34, p. 11). It is the plant covering of the peat-bogs, 

 where the peat is cut for fuel. In 1902 I collected samples of the different 

 strata of a peatbog near Port Louis, offering a peat of regular qualities. The vege- 

 tation is described in my note-book as a swampy Oor/afZena- meadow (I did not use 

 the word »steppe» yet) with much Rostkovia and Juncus scheuchzerioides. 



