35 « 
W. West and G. S. West. 
The position was to some extent sheltered, and the flora was very 
characteristic. Flowering plants existed only in the hollows and 
cracks, and the dominant plant was Empetrum nigrum (40).' In the 
smaller crevices Festuca rubra (25) was very conspicuous, and 
Arctostaphylos Uva-ursi (8), Poa alpina (8), Hieracium alpinum (5), 
and Erigeron nniflorus (5) were in evidence in most places. 
Occasional specimens of Dryas octopetala, Saxifraga Cotyledon , 
Alsine rubella, and jfuncus trifidus also occurred. Betula nana and 
Vaccinium uliginosnm were locally distributed. 
Mosses were not abundant on these rocks. The most frequent 
were Swartzia montana, Eucalypta rlmbdocarpa and Dicranoeveisia 
crispula, with smaller patches of one or two species of 
Grimmia and Rhacomitrium. Very little Rhacomitrium lanuginosum 
occurred, and it appeared to be very uncommon in this cold alpine 
district. Its absence was a noticeable feature to those accustomed 
to its great abundance in the mountainous districts of Britain. 
Lichens were exceedingly abundant and finely developed, and 
in the less sheltered places the lichen-formation occupied at least 
70 per cent, of the area, the only flowering plants being Empetrum 
nigrum with a little Arctostaphylos Uva-ursi and Vaccinium uliginosum. 
The dominant lichen was Alectoria ochroleuca, although in places 
Platysma nivale successfully competed with it. Other species in 
moderate quantity were Alectoria rigida, Cladonia rangiferina, Cl. 
sylvatica (especially its var. alpestris), Cl. cervicornis, Cl. furcata, a 
form of Cladonia pyxidata , Stereocaulou alpinum, S. tomentosum, 
Sphcerophoron coralloides, Cetraria islandica, (and its forma crispa), 
and C. aculeata. Associated with Platysma nivale and Cetraria 
islandica was Pycnothelia papillaria, growing over defunct Gyrophora. 
In depressions where rock-debris accumulated were quantities of 
Solorina crocea, but Solorina saccata only occurred in more shady 
situations. On the barest parts of the rocks, especially where they 
were subvertical, the crustaceous lichens were the most evident, 
and in most cases not a single square inch of rock surface was 
visible (vide PI. 4, Fig. 3). Beautiful patches of Lecanora ventosa, 
with their richly coloured apothecia, were the most conspicuous, 
the rest of the patchwork consisting of Lecidea geographica, Parmelia 
lanata, P. Icevigata, P. conspersa, forms of P. saxatilis, a species of 
Pertusaria (probably a form of P. dealbata), and other lichens, 
including several species of Gyrophora. In odd places fine fruiting 
1 The numbers in parenthesis after the specific names signify 
percentages. 
