Page:The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage.djvu/381

Falklands, etc.] the parenchyma of the leaves and immediately beneath the surface of the stem; from the tenuity of the epidermis, and transparency of the leaves when dried, they form prominences on the cuticle of a white colour, closely simulating the laterally attached hairs of Crucifer&aelig;.

1. EMPETRUM, L.

1. rubrum, Vahl, ''MS. et Willd. Sp. Pl.'' vol. iv. p. 713, ''ex Banks et Sol. MS. in Bibl. Banks. cum icone. Gaud. in Ann. Sc. Nat. vol. v. p. 103, et in Freyc. Voy. Bot.'' p. 134. ''D'Urv. in M&eacute;m. Soc. Linn. Paris'', vol. iv. p. 608. "Bruy&egrave;re &agrave; fleurs d'un vert blauchatre," Pernetty, Voy. vol. ii. p. 64.

South Chili, Fuegia, and the Falkland Islands, most abundant, Commerson, Banks and Solander, and all future voyagers.

I am unable to detect any characters to separate the Empetrum rubrum from E. nigrum, beyond what is afforded by the colour of the berries. Though many of the northern specimens of E. nigrum are perfectly similar to Fuegian specimens of E. rubrum in every other respect, yet almost all the Falkland individuals, and many of those of Cape Horn, are more tomentose than any specimens of the Northern species that I have examined. Under these circumstances, the plants from the opposite hemispheres may be regarded as representative species, or varieties of the same; but, since all the specimens from the southern hemisphere present one constant character, distinguishing them from those of the northern, and since neither is known to occur in any part of the New World between the parallels of 45&deg; N. and 33&deg; S., I feel myself obliged to attach specific importance to the otherwise very trifling differences in the colour of the fruit.

The Empetrum rubrum is a very abundant western extra-tropical South American plant, from the latitude of Conception on the Pacific coast, and Mendoza on the Andes, to Cape Horn. In the latter country, as in the Falkland Islands, this species altogether simulates E. nigrum in the localities it affects, in its habit and mode of growth, stature, in the forms its varieties assume, and in the economy of nature, affording food to wild-geese, and, in Fuegia, to a bird allied to the grouse. The stems and leafy branches are much used for fuel in the Falklands, where the plant is called "Diddle-dee ", they are especially employed in kindling fire, for even when sodden with rain, they speedily ignite, and burn with a bright and hot flame.

The affinities of this genus, or rather order, are yet undefined. I am inclined to adopt the opinion of Jussieu in allying it to Erice&aelig;, from the habit, foliage, the bracte&aelig;, calyx, and texture of the corolla and anthers and some other characters.

1. FAGUS, L.

1. Antarctica, Forst., ''ex Banks et Sol. MS. in Mus. Banks, cum icone. Hook. Bot. Journ.'' vol. ii. p. 15. t, VI. Calucechinus Antarctica, ''Homb. et Jacq. in, Voy. an Pole Snd, Bot. Dicot.'' t. 14. Z. ''et Bot. Monocot. Phan. t. 6. &theta;. C. Montagni, ''Homb. et Jacq. l. c. Bot. Dicot. t. S. II. (Tab. CXXIII.)

South Chili and throughout Fuegia, very abundant, Commerson, Banks and Solander, and all succeeding voyagers.

This species and the following, form together so predominant a feature in the Fuegian landscape, that, though accurately described by several voyagers, especially Cook, King, and Fitzroy, and in the graphic narrative of my