A survey of the Phytogeography of the Arctic American Archipelago 171 
postglaeial landconriection — if we can speak of a postglacial time in Greenland 
— both east and west, we bave not found ont why the american species show such a 
distribution in the southern parts of that land as they actually do, or why so many 
plants coinmon to the Continent of America and Greenland are absent from Baffin Land. 
The appearance of an eastern element — even if it is rather small — in 
East Greenland gives a certain support to the opinion of Nathorst, advanced in 
in bis polemie with Waeming about the history of the Greenland flora, that the 
dividing line between the european and the american flora is formed by the inland 
ice of Greenland. But even if the exploration of låter years bas brought forward 
a few eastern species more than be reckoned with in East Greenland, still the addi- 
tions to the american element bave been more considerable, and for several plants 
it is now shown that they must bave coine from tbe west where they bave a tole- 
rably continuous area. Also the explanation for tbe assumed poorness of the 
american element in the Greenland flora, and especially on the east coast, which 
Nathorst forwarded (Krit. Bemerk., p. 195) cannot be upheld now, as we know 
that the immigratioti from northwestern America over the Archipelago must bave 
begun very early. On another point I am quite in accord with Nathorst, viz., 
in looking upon the Greenland flora as entirely formed by postglacial immigration. 
On the other hand a great many new finds of plants, in different parts of 
Greenland as well as in the Arctic Archipelago and on the Continent of America, 
bave considerably confirmed Warming's view of the Greenland flora as decidedly 
american; certainly be was quite right in looking upon the Denmark Strait as the 
divide between the american and european floras, and Greenland also from a pbyto- 
geographical point of view must be looked upon as forraing a part of America. 
The systematical revisions of låter years also bave, to a certain degree, contributed 
to let the american character of the Greenland flora come out more clearly, but on the 
other band they bave almost shattered the principal foundation for one of Warming's 
theories, viz., the persistence of the main of the Greenland flora during tbe extreme 
glaciation. Warming counted (Tab. Overs., p. 52) 15 endemic species in Greenland, 
but most of these are either found else where or reduced to forms of other species, 
and notwithstanding two are added here, which Warming had placed in other 
groups, the number of endemic plants only amounts to four. As already referred 
to this small endemism forms one of the most important causes for looking upon 
tbe Greenland flora as of postglacial origin. The whole manner of distribution 
within Greenland also speaks against the assumption of any survivors during the 
maximum of glaciation. When Warming is incbned to see a support for bis bypo- 
thesis about stations of refuge in southern Greenland in the account of Greely 
about tbe valley of Lake Hazen and its luxuriant vegetation, be compares quite 
incommensurable things; in Grinnelland we bave an area of comparatively Conti- 
nental and extreniely dry climate, very favorable for the development of a vegeta- 
tion which may, nevertbeless, be poor in species, whereas the supposed south 
Greenland resorts should either bave been nunataks in an entirely glaciated land, 
