16 



ISLAND OF SITKA. 



also the balsamic alder ( Alnus rubra f 10 ?Q standing close to an elder-tree 



(jSambucus, 10 ^ with oval terminal bunches of flowers. However, the prin- 

 cipal mass of the underwood, especially on clearings, consists of a species of 

 Ruhus (probably Rubus spedabilis) (13 n), bearing flowers of a carmine colour 

 and highly aromatic fruits, which, being plentiful, are important articles of food 

 in this country. Another Rubus, without edible fruit {Rubus Nutcanus) (12 p) 

 is distinguished by its large white blossoms, and delights to grow in the outskirts 

 of thickets, in less humid places, where it finds a neighbour in one of the two 



species of Ribes abounding here ^9 | 10 But the most striking of all the 



underwood, more especially in the upper forest region rather than in this locality, 

 is Panax horriclum. Well-known descriptions afford an erroneous idea of its 

 habit ; thus in Meyen's " Geography of Plants " (1836), it is termed " a remarkable 

 creeper." In the present illustration it is shown first as a low, densely-leaved shrub, 



as it appears on the outskirts of forests and in sunny places (l -\ and again with 

 more developed stems, which up to a certain height are leafless, and terminate 

 with a tuft of very large palmate leaves, a growth it assumes in shady and rather 



humid places ^2 | 3 . The stems often attain double the height here shown ; 



they are everywhere covered with rather long, strong, and dark brown spines, which 

 do not stand off at right angles, but are pressed to the stem with their points 

 directed upwards. The peduncles and petioles are also clad with spines, but they are 

 less prominent. The leaves have a rough surface, are thin and rather transparent, 

 and of a pale yellowish, rather dirty green colour. At the top of the stems appears a 

 longish erect head, consisting of a mass of minute pale-yellow flowers. The fruit 

 is a small fleshy, very resinous berry, which, as far as we could learn, is neither 

 eaten nor otherwise turned to account. Until the end of July, — we did not see it 

 later, — it is in an unripe state and then pale green, but it is said to become red, 

 and during the last day of our stay (July 31), several were turning that colour. 

 A tall, fine-looking plant, here and there observed on the outskirts of woods, I 

 am unable to determine botanically, nor could Professor Bongard afford any clue 

 when the herbarium specimens were submitted to him. I have, however, closely 

 copied the original drawing made in Dr. Mertens' presence (14 o). The little 

 shrubs, chiefly growing upon old trunks of trees, are principally species of Vac- 

 cinium, amongst which at least two may be distinguished, one having roundish, 

 rather blue green leaves (6 e), and the other possessing a more myrtle-like habit 



