100 



DISTRIBUTION OF PLANTS. 



Lecanora (No. 7) ; resembling L. tartarea. Abundantly incrusting the terminal rocks of 



the highest mountain-peaks. 

 Physcia sepiacea, Gaud.? (No. 1). 



Usnea melaxantha ? (No. 5, compare sp. of Torrey from the South Shetlands). Adhering 

 in separate tufts to the terminal rocks of the highest mountain-peaks ; conspicuous, and 

 abundant. 



Peltidea (No. 1). 



Lichenes incerti. Various other Lichens, belonging to different genera. 

 Agaricus fimetarius? (No. 21). A delicate, and very small species. Met with in two 

 or three localities. 



Negative Characters. In connection with the above-mentioned 

 instances of leaves seemingly deciduous, some approximation to an 

 annual plant wa^i presented in Lcujenophora Comrnersonii ; judging at 

 least by the slightness of its root. 



The forest, as well as the open country, proved to be entirely devoid 

 of vines, whether prostrate or twining, woody or herbaceous : the only 

 approximation being the alpine form of Fagus Antarctica, already-men- 

 tioned. We met with no signs of genuine bulbous-rooted plants. 



The following Tribes of plants were not met with ; and were ascer- 

 tained by Gaudichaud's List, to be likewise absent from the Falkland 

 Islands : 



PolygalaccEe, Convolvulaceaa, Polygonacese, 



Malvaceas, Boragiuacea), Euphorbiacese, 



Hypericacege, Solanaceae, Coniferae, 



Terebinthacea), Labiatae, Alismacese, 



Leguminosae, Verbenaceae, Liliaceae, 



Cucurbitaceae, The genus Statice, Araceae, and 



Lythraceae, Salsolaceae, TyphaccEe. 



Apocynaceae, Aniaranthaceae, 



The absence in these extreme Southern countries of the Legumi- 

 nosae is especially remarkable ; and that of the Coniferse, Polygo- 

 naceas, and Salsolacese, hardly less so. 



Further comparison with the Falkland Islands. At the distance 

 of one hundred and eighty-five geographical miles from Staten Island 

 (the Eastern extreme of Terra del Fuego), the Falkland Islands 

 present a land surface of about "two thousand" square geographical 

 miles, included between S. lat. 51° and 52° 30'. The soil, climate, 

 and vegetable growth, as described by Gaudichaud and D'Urville, are 

 altogether the same as on the main land of Terra del Fuego ; not only 

 the absent, but the prevailing Tribes of plants being the same, as well 

 as most of the species ; but the number of species is diminished. 



