Contributions to the morphology, synonymy, and geographical distribution of arctic plants / by Theo. Holm.

  • Holm, Theodor (Herman Theodor), 1854-1932.
Date:
1922
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Contributions to the morphology, synonymy, and geographical distribution of arctic plants / by Theo. Holm. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Parrya macrocarpa R. Br. [Matthiola nudicaulis (L.) Trautv., Parry a nudi- caulis (L.) Regel.] . Several flowering and fruiting specimens were collected; during the flowering the height of the stem averages about 10 cm. The primary root is deep, and very thick, bearing at the crown some few short erect or ascending shoots, densely covered with remnants of old leaves, and terminated by a fascicle of leaves surrounding the flowering stem. With regard to the vegetative repro¬ duction, it would appear as if the species is very poorly equipped, since there is na other subterranean stem than the very short pseudo-rhizome, described above. However, the root-system shows that the plant is by no means unable to wander and thus become distributed in a vegetative manner since the large tap-root frequently branches and some of these branches, especially the hori¬ zontal ones, are able to produce new plants as root-shoots. For instance, some flowering specimens collected on Herschel island and Wollaston land were actually root-shoots, with the mother-root still attached. Similar root-shoots occur in a number of plants; Wittrock ^ has written an interesting paper on this subject furnishing a comprehensive list of species that multiply in this manner. Among the Cruciferae Wittrock mentions some species of Arahis, Cardamine resedifolia, Lepidium latifolium, Alliaria, and several Nasturtia, P. arctica R. Br. A relatively smaller plant than P. macrocarpa but the root is also here quite thick and deep. The aerial shoot, inflorescence, and leaves, agree with that of the preceding, but I found no specimens developed from roots. Erysimum inconspicuum (Wats.) MacMill. [E. parviflorum Nutt., non Pers.j The tall flowering stem (about 24 cm.) arises from a small rosette of leaves borne upon a slender but persisting primary root which ramifles freely; the species is perennial. Sisymbrium sophioides Fisch. On Herschel island this species may persist for more than one season, as shown by a very large specimen with six flower-bearing stems reaching the height of about 30 cm. and arising from a large rosette of leaves; the thick primary root bears evidence of having been active for at least two seasons. The specimen was collected in the month of August and with it several much smaller specimens were collected. Averaging only 3 to 5 cm. in height, these plants were in bloom, and the rosette of leaves was perfectly fresh; thus they might be able to winter over. It deserves attention that this species is generally described as an annual and that it occurs as such in arctic Scandinavia (70° N.L.) according to Blytt;^ it has also been found near Ivigtut, on the west coast of Greenland, but as an introduced weed only. CRASSULACEAE. Sedum Rhodiola DC. The very carefully lifted specimens form relatively large compact cushions with the numerous low, flower-bearing stems, about 5 cm. in height, borne upon fleshy subterranean branches with numerous withered stems from previous years, and terminating in a deep, relatively slender, primary root. As com¬ pared with Greenland specimens, those from Martin point, Alaska, are much less robust with respect to the size of leaves and inflorescence. ^ Botan. Notis. Lund, 1884. 1 Norges Flora, p. 995. Christiania, 1861.