— 6i — 



only mineral that can be distinguished in the hand specimen, but in places the 

 quartzite contains nodules of dolomitic sandstone. These nodules disintegrate 

 more rapidly than the quartzite under the action of the atmosphere, and give a 

 pitted surface in exposed places. Interstratified with the quartzite above de- 

 scribed are beds of conglomerate from a few inches to 25 feet in thickness. The 

 matrix of the conglomerate is a dolomitic sandstone and the included pebbles 

 are limestone, slaty sandstone, quartz, and occasionally granite, apparently 

 Laurentian. 



No botanical work has been done up to the present time on these peculiar 

 hills, except the collecting of a few Phanerogams by Penhallow.^ The writer 

 has had the opportunity to collect both Phanerogams and Cryptogams during the 

 season of 19 13 and 19 14 on the easternmost representatives of the group in Temis- 

 couata: the Hospital Hill and Mt. Pilot at Riviere-du-Loup; several unnamed 

 hills at St. Arsene and Cacouna; and two of the Pilgrim Islands: "Gros Pelerin" 

 and "Pelerin du Milieu." 



The object of this paper will be to give a brief account of the mosses, hepatics, 

 and lichens of this particular habitat. 



The quartzite hills bearing but few and dwarfed trees and being but huge 

 masses of snow-white rocks, maintain typical xerophytic associations of plants, 

 and for this reason the Mosses and Hepatics are comparatively scarce. The 

 Lichens are the plants best adapted to such dry situations and, as a matter of 

 fact, they are numerous both in species and individuals. Cladonia is richly 

 represented and almost all American species of Gyrophora can be found. The 

 following is a list of the species of Cryptogams recorded and whose identity has 

 been ascertained. 



Mosses 



Amhlystegiella adnata (Hedw.) Nichols. Gros Pelerin Island. This plant 

 is very variable according to habitat but is readily distinguished from closely 

 related species by its rhombic cells. 



Anomodon attemiatus (Schreb.) Hueben. Gros Pelerin Island: Mt. Pilot. 

 Very common. 



Anomodon rostratus (L.) Hedw. Mt. Pilot. This Anomodon is a remarkable 

 feature at the base of the quartzite hills, and its ecology is worthy of some at- 

 tention. It has been stated above that the quartzite beds have a general dip 

 to the southeast of about 75°. It ensues that the northern face is not only steep 

 and precipitous, but very often overhanging, thus inducing the formation of a 

 damp and sheltered belt at the foot of the cliff. ThevQ, Anomodon finds its opti- 

 mum life conditions, and it thrives to an extent unknown elsewhere, forming 

 uninterrupted velvet underneath the slanting quartzite beds. It is also inter- 

 esting to observe the mode of growth, which is well disclosed at the edge of the 

 extensive patches. The primary stem runs along a strictly straight line, issuing 

 but very few short flagelliform branches, and tightly clinging to the substratum 

 by means of its sucker-like rhizoids. But as the mat thickens with age it can be 



ID. P. Penhallow. Flora of Cacouna. Can. Rec. of Science 4: 369. 



