Page:The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage.djvu/35

Campbell's Islands.]

1. fontana, L.  DeC. Prodr. vol. iii. p. 362. M. linearifolia, ''D'Urv. Fl. Ins. Mal. l. c.'' vol. iv. p. 619. M. lamprosperma, Chamisso in Linn&aelig;a, vol. vi. p. 565. t. 7.

Lord Auckland's group and Campbell's Islands; in moist places near the sea, abundant.

This is a very variable plant and an exceedingly common one in the southern regions. The specimens from the various Antarctic islands vary much in size, in the form of the leaf, in the number of the stamens, and in the number and nature of the surface of the seeds. Those of the Auckland and Campbell's Island specimens agree with the figure quoted of Chamisso's M. lamprosperma, but they are not larger than the seeds of European specimens. The Falkland Islands, form again has the seeds very large with a black tuberculated shining testa, agreeing in the latter character with those of Kerguelen's Land, which are however smaller. In the Peruvian plant the seeds are very small, but covered and almost echinate with crowded elevated linear tubercles. Those of the English plant are not constant in size, but the testa is generally more opake and not remarkably tuberculated. It is difficult to find a more widely distributed ph&aelig;nogamic plant than this, especially in the southern hemisphere, where it generally accompanies the Callitriche verna. In New Zealand and in Peru it inhabits a more elevated region. According to Boissier, it attains in Spain an altitude of 5000–7000 feet. In the Highlands of Scotland it ascends to 3000 feet, and reaches as far north as Iceland and Siberia in Europe and Asia. Though universally distributed over all the temperate parts of these two continents, and in the south, it appears to be singularly rare in North America, being hitherto detected only in Labrador, Greenland (whose Flora presents more European peculiarities than any other part of America east of the Rocky Mountains), Sitka and the Oregon.

1. subulatus; dense pulvinatus nitidus, caulibus ramosis foliosis, foliis arcte imbricatis strictis rigidis subulatis coriaceis supra canaliculatis basi scarioso-membranaceis vaginantibus apicibus subpiliferis, floribus terminalibus solitariis, pedunculis folio brevioribus, sepalis 4–5 erectis inæqualibus lanceolatis striatis pungentibus, staminibus 4–5 filamentis basi in annulum perigynum coalitis, capsula 4–5-fida.—Sagina subulata, ''D'Urv. Fl. Ins. Mal. l. c.'' p. 618. S. muscosa, β. squarrosa et γ. laricifolia, ''Sol. MSS. in Herb. Mus. Brit.'' Colob. Benthamianus, ''Fenzl, MSS. in Endl. Atakt.'' t. 49. ''Ann. Wien. Mus.'' †49.

Campbell's Island; in rounded tufts on rocks near the summits of the hills, alt. 1000 feet.

Caules 1–1&frac12; pollicares, ramosi, fastigiati, glaberrimi. Folia 1&frac12;–2 lin. longa, pallide viridi-straminea, erecto-patentia, basi connata. Pedunculi &frac34: lin. longi, subangulati, validi. Perianthium folia vix superans et iis immersum, basi truncatum; sepalis basi incrassatis, in nostris exemplaribus 5, quorum 2 exterioribus paulo majoribus, 3 interioribus imbricatis. Stamina 5, rarius 4, manifeste perigyna, perianthii foliolis alterna; filamentis compressis, subulatis; antheris ovalibus. Ovarium ovatum, disco perigyno insertum, 1-loculare, sub 5-ovulatum. Styli 4–5. Stigmata lineari-clavata, intus glandulosa. Capsula ad medium 5-fida v. 4–5-partita, chartacea; segmentis obtusis, perianthio persistente inclusa. Semina 3–4, angulata, subreniformia, compressa; testa pallide brunnea, subtilissime granulata.

Of rare occurrence, and confined to the tops of the hills in Campbell's Island; nowhere seen in Lord Auckland's group. In the Falklands, and in Fuegia, where it was discovered by Banks and Solander, it is very common, both on the low grounds and on the mountains. I have followed Fenzl and Endlicher in placing this genus in Portulace&aelig;, though I must confess that to me it appears too closely allied to Caryophylle&aelig;, and especially